Contractors fined in Penticton
Colin Dacre - Jan 11, 2019 - Biz Releases

Photo: Colin Dacre

Three contractors operating in the South Okanagan received penalties from WorkSafeBC last month for failing to use fall protection.

A numbered company based in Surrey was fined $2,500 on Dec. 14, 2018, after an inspector visited the townhouse development at 240 Forestbrook Drive, Penticton and found four of the company’s workers on the third floor performing framing work.

“The workers were not using personal fall protection systems, the stairwells and perimeter of the floor lacked guardrails, and no other form of fall protection was in place,” the penalty summary reads, adding the workers were more than 20 feet off the ground.

“The firm failed to ensure fall protection was used, a repeated violation, and failed to ensure floor openings and elevated work areas were guarded.”

On the same day, inspectors visited a roofing project at a two-storey house at 615 Van Horne St. and spotted two workers on the roof without fall protection. Jack Reems/JR Renovations was fined $2,500 for the violations.

“Furthermore, the firm failed to ensure work platform materials and installation met the required safety factors and load ratings,” WorkSafeBC said online.

WorkSafeBC also issued a $2,500 fine to Ray Michaud/All Purpose Roofing after an inspector visited a re-roofing job at a home in Osoyoos on Dec. 11, where seven workers were on the roof without fall protection.

In that case WorkSafeBC issued a stop-work order, noting “the firm’s supervisor did not ensure fall protection equipment was made available to workers.”


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