To protect farmers and farm workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Agriculture has outlined a series of requirements for all farms, including those that employ seasonal labour and Temporary Foreign Workers.

SURREY – BC government announced support aimed at keeping seasonal farm workers, and all agriculture workers, safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To protect farmers and farm workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Agriculture has outlined a series of requirements for all farms, including those that employ seasonal labour and Temporary Foreign Workers.

"It is vital that we work to ensure the health and safety of our workers, including people who work seasonally in our agriculture industry," said Harry Bains, Labour Minister and MLA for Surrey-Newton. "These renewed commitments to workplace health and safety are more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic."

All temporary foreign workers (TFWs) arriving in British Columbia for seasonal farm work will be required to self-isolate in government-managed accommodations for 14 days prior to being transported to farms throughout B.C. during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Employers are also being asked to take a number of preventative measures to keep their employees safe. These measures include:

     *   Providing employee training in a familiar language explaining safety measures and protocols, physical distancing, hygiene, and monitoring and reporting illness.

     *   Ensuring employees maintain physical distancing of at least two metres while working or at rest on a farm, in accommodation, or transport, or use physical barriers such as plexiglass or face coverings if distancing can not be maintained.

     *   Educating employees on measures to prevent infection and transmission in their personal and on-farm actions, including handwashing, and equipment use and disinfection.

     *   Providing daily safety briefings, and display posters and printed reminders in conspicuous locations with information about preventing infection and transmission.

In addition to asking employers to take preventative measures to ensure workplace safety, AgSafe BC has developed templates to assist agricultural employers in building their Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Programs in order to keep workers safe during COVID-19.