Employer must pay nearly $275,000
WorkSafeBC has fined the British Columbia’s Interior Health Authority nearly $275,000 after 10 hospital workers were exposed to an unknown substance, according to a report.
The agency investigated complaints from workers "following a potential exposure to illicit drugs" at Penticton General Hospital, according to an April inspection report from WorkSafeBC, reported CBC.
It found that two workers became ill after they were exposed to a noxious odour in a patient's room. Another eight workers were also treated for exposure, according to the report.
Interior Health was fined $274,073.89 in August.
While WorkSafeBC did not detail what the substance was, it noted that the employer's procedure for responding to illicit substances had not been adequately communicated to workers. The employer failed to implement written procedures to minimize risks, reported CBC.
"The presence of illicit substances in a hospital is concerning, and both Interior Health and the province have implemented measures to address substance use concerns in hospital settings across the province," the employer told CBC.
