B.C. school operator given penalty after worker falls to their death
One death and one case of injury led to a total of $264,000 in fines for two Canadian companies recently.
In British Columbia, the Satnam Education Society of British Columbia – operator of the Khalsa School of B.C. – is facing a penalty close to $64,000 as one worker working on a roof fell to their death.
The worker was installing a roof in Mission when the incident occurred.
WorkSafeBC investigation found that the subcontracted firm failed to appoint a site safety coordinator and “did not have a system in place to ensure hazards were mitigated.”
“As prime contractor of a multiple-employer workplace, the firm failed to do everything reasonable to establish and maintain a system of regulatory compliance,” WorkSafeBC said, according to Vancouver is Awesome.
Meanwhile, lawyer Jaspreet Malik – representing the Satnam Education Society – said the charity appealed the penalty in December, claiming it shouldn’t be held responsible for the contractor's oversights on safety.
They are expecting a decision sometime this year, he said.
The incident happened as the employer tried to build back from a fire, said Malik. In August 2020, a suspected arson attack burned down the gymnasium, according to the report.
“It really is a sad story,” he said. “He wasn’t wearing fall equipment.”
The Khalsa School of B.C. is a collection of Sikh learning institutions that represent the largest network of private schools in the province, according to Vancouver is Awesome.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan company Nutrien Ltd. was fined $142,857.14 with a surcharge of $57,142.86 after a worker suffered a serious injury in the workplace.
The worker stepped into an unguarded floor opening.
The employer pleaded guilty in Moosomin Provincial Court to one violation of The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020.
“The company was fined for contravening clause 9-13 (1) (a) of the regulations (being an employer fail to ensure that any opening or hole in a floor or other work surface into which a worker could step or fall is covered with a securely installed covering that is capable of supporting a load of 360 kilograms per square metre and that is provided with a warning sign or permanent marking clearly indicating the nature of the hazard, resulting in the serious injury of a worker),” said the Saskatchewan government.
One other charge against Nutrien was withdrawn.
