Workplace health and safety violations result in thousands of dollars of fines
Four construction companies in British Columbia were recently fined over health and safety violations in the workplace.
Aspen Coast Construction Ltd. was fined $5,378.82 for violations it committed while working on the construction of a house in Chilliwack.
WorkSafeBC inspected the site and found one worker was installing sheeting on the 4:12 sloped roof. No form of fall protection was in place, exposing the worker to a fall risk greater than 6.1 m (20 ft.), it said.
WorkSafeBC also observed several elevated door, window and floor openings that lacked guards.
“The firm failed to ensure fall protection was used, a high-risk violation. The firm also failed to ensure elevated work areas were guarded as required. These were both repeated violations,” said WorkSafeBC.
Moga Construction Ltd. was also fined $5,037.52. The company was working on a two-storey house under construction in Burnaby.
WorkSafeBC inspected the site and observed three workers installing roof sheathing.
“No effective fall protection system was in place, exposing the workers to a fall risk of about 7.3 m (24 ft.). The firm failed to ensure fall protection was used, a repeated and high-risk violation,” said WorkSafeBC.
Talofa Removals & Demolition Limited – which was conducting pre-demolition asbestos abatement at a building in White Rock – was also fined $5,000.00.
WorkSafeBC inspected the worksite and observed multiple deficiencies with the firm's procedures for handling asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), including a lack of inward air flow into the containment.
WorkSafeBC also found workers entering the containment without protective clothing or equipment, and exiting the containment without decontaminating.
The agency issued a stop-work order.
“The firm failed to take the necessary precautions to protect workers before allowing work that would disturb ACMs. The firm also failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety. These were both repeated and high-risk violations,” said WorkSafeBC.
Lastly, Army Pre-Demolition Ltd. was tasked to pay $2,500.00.
WorkSafeBC requested for the employer to provide its hazardous waste disposal records for multiple asbestos abatement worksites. After several follow-up communications and orders, the firm had still not complied.
“The firm failed to comply with a WorkSafeBC order,” it said.
B.C. employer Cantex-Okanagan Construction Ltd. was also fined $57,318.16 for safety violations it committed at its Hudson's Hope worksite.
Previously, SD Roofing Ltd. – another construction employer in B.C. –was fined $20K by WorkSafeBC following an inspection at a worksite in Mission.
