Legal Notice
Use of this website
This website is owned and operated by the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (“BCMEA”) for your personal non-commercial use and information. Your use of this website is subject to the following terms and all applicable laws. By accessing and browsing this website, you accept, without limitation or qualifications, these terms. If you do not agree with any of the terms, please do not use this website.
Limitation of liability
BCMEA WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, EITHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL, RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS WEBSITE. Your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using and accessing this website.
Copyright
Material on this website, including but not limited to text, images, illustrations, graphics, drawings and photographs is owned or otherwise provided by BCMEA, and BCMEA does not represent or warrant that such material does not infringe the rights of any other person or entity. All the content of this website is protected pursuant to the Canadian Copyright Act, the copyright laws of the other countries and under international treaties.
Trade-marks
The Trade-marks displayed on this website are trade-marks, registered or unregistered, of BCMEA or others, which are the property of their respective owners, and may not be used without written authorization of BCMEA or of the owner of such trade-marks respectively.
Links
Links and references to other websites are provided to you as a convenience only. BCMEA has not reviewed and does not expressly or implicitly endorse other websites or any information or material, or the accessibility thereof, via such links, and does not assume any responsibility for any such other websites, information or material posted thereon, or products or services offered thereon. You may not create links from other websites to this website, except if expressly permitted by BCMEA. (To obtain permission, contact our web site management.)
Accuracy of information
While BCMEA may update the information or materials on this website from time to time, no assurance is given that information or material on this website is up-to-date, accurate, error-free or complete.
Viruses, etc.
BCMEA does not represent or warrant that the information or materials, accessed from or through this website will be uninterrupted or free of errors, defects, viruses or other harmful components, or that any such problems which are discovered will be corrected.
Cookies
BCMEA may use software tags called “cookies” to identify visitors and their preferences when they visit our site. A cookie is a file stored on a visitor’s hard drive. They are used amongst other things, to allow visitors to select their own preferences and to avoid having to repeatedly set those preferences. Cookies are not used for identifying or tracking visitors.
Governing law
This site is controlled and operated by BCMEA from Vancouver, British Columbia and these terms shall be governed by the laws of British Columbia and the applicable laws of Canada without reference to principles of conflict of laws. You agree to be bound by such laws and to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the Province of British Columbia in connection with the interpretation or application of these terms.
Survival
These terms and conditions apply while you are accessing the website and remain in effect thereafter. In the event that this website is no longer accessible to you, the provisions set out in sections 2, 3 and 4 of these terms and conditions shall survive thereafter.
Protecting Your Information
At the BCMEA, the security of your personal and private information is of utmost concern. We are committed to keeping your confidential information as safe as possible. While the BCMEA utilizes strong internal measures to protect the security and privacy of your information, there are important steps you should take to help protect your information when using the BCMEA website(s).
THIS SECURITY INFORMATION MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTS BEST PRACTICES WHICH USERS MAY FOLLOW AT THEIR OWN DISCRETION. ALL TERMS OF THE WEBSITE USAGE POLICY GOVERNING THIS SITE ARE STILL APPLICABLE.
You play a critical role in keeping your personal information protected. Please review each security section below and become familiar with the measures taken to protect your online information as well as the steps you can take to help secure your online experience.
Strong encryption requirements
The BCMEA web systems require that you have 128-bit encryption, the highest level of encryption generally available today, installed on your browser. When using this encryption, all data sent to the BCMEA website(s) is scrambled and then de-coded. We do not transmit personal and/or private data over any non-encrypted connections.
Your BCMEA website(s) session is protected in a “secured” network environment through Secured Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. SSL technology is used within your session to encrypt your personal information before it leaves your computer to help ensure no one else can read it. Depending on your browser setting, a pop-up window will appear to notify you that you will be entering a secured page. You will know when you are on a secured BCMEA page when you see the “https://” before the web address. A padlock symbol in the lower right hand corner of your browser window will also be present. This padlock indicates that your BCMEA online session is in a “secured” environment.
Protecting our internal systems
The BCMEA protects the security of your personal information at all times. We have taken reasonable measures to protect our internal computer systems from unauthorized access. To protect our systems from public Internet traffic, firewalls are used. Firewalls are a combination of computer hardware and software that separate the Internet from the BCMEA’s internal web servers and computer systems. Firewalls prevent unauthorized Internet traffic from accessing our web servers and internal systems, thereby protecting your information and transactions.
Limiting unauthorized access to your online session
The BCMEA web systems use “timed log-outs” on all of our websites. This means that online sessions are terminated after 20 minutes of inactivity. Once the BCMEA website has ended your session, you will be required to re-enter your username and password. “Timed Log-Outs” protect you against unauthorized access.
Intrusion detection systems
The BCMEA websites employ state-of-the-art network based IDS (Intrusion Detection Systems) to secure the integrity of our network by ensuring that unauthorized traffic cannot pass though our systems undetected.
What can you do to protect your information?
As an Internet website user, you play an important role in protecting your personal and private information. In addition to a myriad of website technologies we use for secure exchange of personal data, you play a significant role in configuring your own computer to maximize its security environment. The following is a checklist to ensure that your system conforms to known “security best practices”.
Keep your computer secure
Installing virus detection software on your computer is a good computing practice that protects your information from being corrupted or accessed by unauthorized users. This software needs to be updated often to ensure you have the most current protection available. To further protect yourself from viruses or other unwanted problems, do not open e-mail attachments from unknown or untrustworthy sources. Do not install unlicenced software, or software from an unknown source. Make sure you know anyone who uses your computer and limit unauthorized access.
Log-on and password feature
To help make accessing your BCMEA website account more secure, we require you to obtain your personal and confidential password to logon to the BCMEA secured website(s). This information is then authenticated by the BCMEA website(s) to verify who you are before providing access to the system.
Should too many failed login attempts be detected, the account will be locked automatically and you may have to contact the password reset telephone line to have the lock cleared. This step is required to protect your account from random password attempts.
Your password
Your password is the key to your online account information. Protect and change your password on a regular basis — every 30-60 days is recommended. Create a password that is unique to you and that cannot be easily guessed by someone else. Create a password that contains a combination of both letters and numbers. Do not associate your password with anything personal such as names, birthdates, telephone numbers, or other familiar words. Memorize your password and never write it down, electronically store, or reveal it to anyone.
Note: No one at BCMEA will ever ask you for your password. Never give out personal information to anyone on the telephone or from a website unless you have verified the credibility of the source and/or have initiated the call to a trusted source.
Disable the autocomplete feature on your browser
Disable the ‘AutoComplete’ function to prevent others from seeing your logon information each time you use the web site(s). On Internet Explorer for example, the ‘AutoComplete’ function remembers data you have input including your passwords on frequently used sites. Check the User Guide for your computer setup to get instructions, or go online to the manufacturer’s website.
Protecting your identity online
Install commercial-grade firewall software on your computer to help prevent unauthorized individuals or information from entering your computer system. This is especially important on computers that use a broadband connection to access the Internet (Cable modems or DSL). Since your Internet connection is alive when your computer is on, the risk for malicious activity to your computer increases.
Run a current updated anti-virus program on your computer frequently. Anti-virus software can scan your incoming and outgoing e-mail and attachments for computer infections like worms, viruses, Trojan Horses and other malicious code that can affect your computer files and operation.
Keep your software current and apply all security patches for your computer operating system (e.g. Microsoft Windows) to keep security information current.
Be aware that there are phony websites designed to trick consumers and collect personal information. Verify the source of your e-mails and only open e-mail that you expect. Always run anti-virus software before opening e-mail.
“Password protect” your computer to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing your information.
How do I know if I am connecting to the BCMEA and not to other parties?
You may check the validity and owner of the encryption certificate. Using the “supported” Internet Explorer browser, double-click the security lock icon at the bottom right of your session window (you may need to enable the status bar if it cannot be seen). In the General tab, the Certificate Information should state who it is issued to (e.g. mybcmea.bcmea.com) and when it is valid for. The certificate should still be within the valid period.
Using the BCMEA website(s) via a public and/or shared computer
Avoid using the BCMEA website(s) at public sites to avoid your information from being copied, traced, or re-entered after you leave.
Why do I need to accept “Cookies” to access BCMEA website(s)?
A cookie is a text file that resides on your computer. In order to provide a more stable and personalized experience, BCMEA website(s) use two types of cookies as part of the interaction between your browser and the websites:
Persistent Cookies
A “Persistent Cookie” is used frequently throughout the website(s) to track usage of our latest information, news bulletins and to ensure that users are receiving personalized and up-to-date information. This cookie does not contain any private information.
Per-Session Cookies
A “Per-Session Cookie” assigns a session id when you log-on and stores it in your PC’s temporary memory (RAM). This session ID is used to establish and validate your PC during your session. When you log-off from the website(s), the “Per-session Cookie” is removed. These cookies also do not contain any private information.
If your browser prompts you when a cookie is “served”, you must accept it in order to access BCMEA website(s). Since cookies are site-specific, only BCMEA website(s) can access, decode and make use of the information.
Logoff and close browser
Always remember to log-off from the website(s) and to close your browser when you have finished visiting secure websites. Please ensure that you use the “Logout” functionality of the websites and not the [x] button on the top right corner of the browser window. This may help prevent others from being able to view your on-line information at a later time. Please contact us immediately if you suspect any unusual account activity.
Test your computer for security vulnerabilities regularly
There are several commercial tools currently available on the Web that you can use to test your computer system for security vulnerabilities. For example, if your system is not configured properly, it may be easier for hackers and intruders to break in.
Stay up-to-date with the latest security events and incidents and make sure that you stay current with all security updates/patches and fixes that become available from the vendors.
Logoff and close browser
Always remember to log-off from the website(s) and to close your browser when you have finished visiting secure websites. Please ensure that you use the “Logout” functionality of the websites and not the [x] button on the top right corner of the browser window. This may help prevent others from being able to view your on-line information at a later time. Please contact us immediately if you suspect any unusual account activity.
Test your computer for security vulnerabilities regularly
There are several commercial tools currently available on the Web that you can use to test your computer system for security vulnerabilities. For example, if your system is not configured properly, it may be easier for hackers and intruders to break in.
Stay up-to-date with the latest security events and incidents and make sure that you stay current with all security updates/patches and fixes that become available from the vendors.
