Two B.C. employers charged over vehicle violations

WorkSafeBC has penalized two British Columbia employers for violations relating to transport vehicles in the workplace.

Qualified Contractors Ltd. in Surrey was fined $7,093.66 after WorkSafeBC and Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement (CVSE) found a number of safety deficiencies in the firm's farm worker transport vehicle.

Specifically, they found cargo that wasn’t secured, non-compliant lighting, a cracked windshield and worn tire axles.

(1) Materials, goods, tools or equipment carried in a portion or compartment of a vehicle in which workers are riding must be located and secured to prevent injury to the operator or workers.

(2) If materials, goods, tools or equipment are regularly carried in a worker transportation vehicle there must be a designated area in the vehicle for transporting these items.

According to B.C.’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation Part 17: Transportation of Workers, materials, goods, tools or equipment carried in a portion or compartment of a vehicle in which workers are riding must be located and secured to prevent injury to the operator or workers.

WorkSafeBC determined a proper pre-trip vehicle inspection hadn’t been conducted, and issued a stop-use order for the vehicle.

“The firm failed to ensure that vehicles used to transport workers were maintained and operated in a safe manner. This was a repeated violation,” according to WorkSafeBC.

READ MORE: B.C. employer Richmond Plywood Corporation Limited was charged $547,080 after one of its workers was caught in the press when operating machinery.

B N N Enterprises Ltd. in Pitt Meadows was also fined $5,000.00.

WorkSafeBC previously inspected the firm's worker transportation vehicle and issued a stop-use order for the vehicle until critical repairs were made.

During a follow-up inspection, the agency found that the repairs had not been made and the firm had used the vehicle in violation of the stop-use order. The firm failed to comply with a WorkSafeBC order.

OHS Regulation Part 17 also notes that vehicles used to transport workers must be designed, maintained and operated in a safe manner.

Also, if workers are to travel in a worker transportation vehicle, the employer must ensure that “an inspection of the worker transportation vehicle has been conducted by a qualified person before first use on a work shift” and “any defect which might affect the safety of workers is corrected before the vehicle is used.”

READ MORE: WorkSafeBC also charged two employers in the province over violations related to asbestos in the workplace.