In a letter published in The Province, Susanna Klassen and Anelyse Weiler highlight that B.C.'s heat regulations apply to all workplaces, including high-risk sectors like construction, but current rules leave employers unclear about when they must start adopting cooling measures. The authors call for a specific trigger temperature to protect workers.
Letter Writer Reflects on Extreme Weather Events
Frank Sterle Jr. of White Rock writes that after experiencing the unprecedented heat wave in B.C. in late June 2021—described by meteorologists as a “stalling dome” of high heat, which resulted in 619 confirmed heat-related deaths—he felt he could never again complain about cold weather. He notes he did not have a proper air conditioner at the time, only a weaker evaporative cooling system.
Sterle then recalls that most of the province, including southwestern B.C., suffered an unprecedentedly cold spell the following January, also described by meteorologists as a “stalling dome” of freezing cold. He argues these extremes are not coincidental but are due to climate change caused by human-caused global warming from massive fossil fuel consumption since the Industrial Revolution.
Call for Clearer Workplace Protections
The letter by Klassen and Weiler emphasizes that under current B.C. heat regulations, it is unclear to employers when they are required to begin cooling measures. They urge the provincial government to establish a clear trigger temperature to ensure worker safety during extreme heat events.
