WorkSafe B.C. imposed more than $225,000 in penalties in New Westminster last year.
Eight local companies were among the 352 British Columbia firms that were fined for work-related safety issues, according to the agency's 2011 enforcement report. The highest penalty against a New West company went to Penfolds Roofing for $139,853.
The company was fined because two of the firm's employees were working near the edge of an unguarded roof, about six metres above grade, without using fall protection. A steel bin was on the ground beneath the work area, increasing the risk for injury. The company did not ensure workers used fall protection and didn't provide training, the WorkSafe report states.
Penfolds' hefty penalty reflects the fact that the company received a fine for similar violations less than three years before.
"Monetary penalties are imposed on employers for repeated or serious violations of occupational health and safety regulations and to motivate them to comply with their legal responsibilities," Jeff Dolan, director of investigations for WorkSafe B.C., said in a media release. "An employer is not penalized if they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent risks to their workers."
Other New Westminster companies that received fines:
- Brinkman and Associates was fined $38,683 after a falling tree struck and killed one of its workers. The firm failed to provide the training and supervision for the workers dealing with falling trees, the report says.
- Dulai Roofing Ltd. was fined $19,208 for failing on "multiple" occasions, to ensure that its own workers and other workers carrying out the firm's work were protected from falling.
- New Mountain Stones was fined $11,761 for allowing tools to be modified and used contrary to the manufacturer's specifications. These were repeated violations, and the company also failed to adequately train and supervise workers using the tools.
- Coast to Coast Roofing was fined $7,500 because two of the company's employees were working without fall protection on a sloped roof. This was a repeat violation, according to the report.
- Choob Work Interior Finishing had to pay a $3,250 fine after an employee was fatally injured after falling four-and-a-half metres from a rolling scaffold. The reports says the company failed to ensure that employees used the scaffolding correctly.
- Skylite Building Maintenance Ltd. received a $2,500 fine for putting workers at risk of exposure to asbestos by issuing clearance letters that "falsely" stated that all asbestos-containing materials had been removed from two houses scheduled for demolition, the report states.
- Michael D. Muir was also fined $2,500 for not submitting a written report that documents its compliance with WorkSafe orders, which were issued after one of the firm's workers was injured in a fall.
Penalty amounts vary due to the size of employers penalized (employers with larger payrolls are assessed higher penalties) and the seriousness of the violations. Penalties imposed may be appealed.
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