# How to build a safety program for a small crew in BC

> Every BC employer needs a health and safety program. WorkSafeBC requires a formal written program for 20 or more workers where there is a moderate or high hazard, or 50 or more workers, and a less formal program for smaller crews. Public tenders often ask to see it, so write a short, real program covering hazards, procedures, training, inspections and incidents.

By James DeGreef. Updated 2026-10-24. Facts checked 2026-10-24. Source page: https://crewbid.tech/guides/safety-program-small-crew

Almost every public tender asks about safety. Some just want a WorkSafeBC clearance letter. Others ask for a copy of your safety program, your incident rates, or a site-specific safety plan. A small crew that can hand over a short, real program looks more professional than one that sends a generic 200-page binder nobody has read.

## What does WorkSafeBC require?

Every employer in BC must have an occupational health and safety program. How formal it must be depends on size and risk:

- **A formal program** is required if you have 20 or more workers and at least one workplace with a moderate or high risk of injury, or if you have 50 or more workers.
- **A less formal program** is required for smaller employers. WorkSafeBC describes it as a program based on regular discussions of health and safety matters with workers.

WorkSafeBC's guidelines (G3.1 and G3.2) describe what each should include. Most trades doing public work are moderate or high hazard, so as you grow past 20 workers, the formal program becomes a legal requirement, not just a tender requirement.

## What do public buyers ask for?

- **WorkSafeBC clearance letter** showing your account is in good standing. See [WorkSafeBC coverage for contractors](https://crewbid.tech/guides/worksafebc-coverage-contractors).
- **A copy or summary of your safety program.**
- **Specific procedures** for the hazards in the work: fall protection, lockout, confined space, working alone, traffic control, chemicals.
- **Training records** for the people who will do the work.
- **Incident history**, sometimes as your WorkSafeBC experience rating.
- **COR certification** on some larger construction contracts. See [COR certification in BC](https://crewbid.tech/guides/cor-certification-bc).
- **A site-specific safety plan** before work starts, especially if you will be the prime contractor. See [prime contractor rules](https://crewbid.tech/guides/prime-contractor-bc).

## What should a small crew's program include?

Keep it short enough that your crew actually knows it. A good program for a 3 to 15 person business can fit in 15 to 30 pages:

1. **Safety policy.** One page, signed by the owner, saying safety comes first and who is responsible for what.
2. **Hazard assessment.** A list of the hazards in your work and how you control each one. Use the order of preference: remove the hazard, then engineering controls, then procedures, then protective equipment.
3. **Safe work procedures** for your main risky tasks. For anyone working at 3 m or more, include fall protection, and a written fall protection plan where the regulation requires it.
4. **Training and orientation.** What every new worker learns on day one, and the tickets each role needs.
5. **Inspections.** Regular checks of sites, vehicles and equipment, with a simple form.
6. **Crew meetings.** Short toolbox talks, with notes of what was discussed. For a small employer this is the heart of the less formal program.
7. **Incident reporting and investigation.** How to report, who investigates, and how fixes are tracked.
8. **First aid and emergencies.** First aid assessment, kits, attendants and emergency contacts.
9. **Records.** Where you keep training, inspections, meetings and incidents.

## How do I make it count in a bid?

- **Tailor a summary to each tender.** Show the hazards in that job and how you control them.
- **Show records, not promises.** A sample inspection form, a toolbox talk sign-in sheet and a training matrix are worth more than paragraphs.
- **Name the person responsible** on site.
- **Keep it current.** Review it once a year and date it. An old program with former employees' names in it hurts more than it helps.

## Should I get COR?

COR (Certificate of Recognition) is a voluntary program that audits your safety system. Some buyers require it on larger construction work, and it can lower your WorkSafeBC premiums through incentives. For a small crew bidding service contracts, a solid program and clean records are usually enough to start. Revisit COR when your tenders start requiring it or your crew grows. Small employers may qualify for the Small Employer COR (SECOR) path.

A good safety program also protects you in disputes and claims. Read [the records that protect you](https://crewbid.tech/articles/records-that-protect-you).

## Sources

- [Health and safety programs (WorkSafeBC)](https://www.worksafebc.com/en/health-safety/create-manage/health-safety-programs)
- [Part 11 fall protection, OHS Regulation (WorkSafeBC)](https://www.worksafebc.com/en/law-policy/occupational-health-safety/searchable-ohs-regulation/ohs-regulation/part-11-fall-protection)
- [Certificate of Recognition (BC Construction Safety Alliance)](https://www.bccsa.ca/Certificate-Of-Recognition-COR.html)