Job restrictions for young B.C. workers take effect on Jan. 1

Young B.C. workers will be restricted from doing hazardous jobs in a new set of labour regulations going into effect in the new year.

After consulting with the public and industry representatives and analyzing injury data, the B.C. government has determined that certain jobs — including in construction, forestry, food processing, oil and gas and power, and asbestos removal — aren’t suitable for people under the age of 18.

The amendments to the Employment Standards Regulation were announced in October and take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. The lag time was designed to give employers time to adjust their work plans for younger workers.

They restrict certain jobs to those with a minimum age of 18, such as logging, working in smelters, drilling for oil or any job where there’s a risk of exposure to harmful materials.

Some jobs have a minimum age of 16, including construction, fish processing and some types of animal processing.