A Langley construction firm delivering drywall supplies to a high-rise project in Penticton was fined just more $66,000 by WorkSafeBC.
WorkSafeBC staff were inspecting the site located at 3388 Skaha Lake Rd. on April 4, and observed one of the Pacific West Systems Supply Ltd. workers near the edge of a fifth-floor balcony.
According to the report the Penticton Western News received on Wednesday, the worker was dismantling a temporary wooden guardrail and had removed the top and middle rail, “even though it was practicable to carry out the work without removing them.”
WorkSafeBC said a second worker was also observed approaching the same unguarded edge and neither was using a personal fall protection system.
“The workers were exposed to a risk of falling about 13.7 metres (45-feet). The firm’s failure to ensure that a fail protection system was used was a repeated and high-risk violation.”
Pacific West Systems Supply Ltd., based out of Langley, was fined $66,638.35 on Aug. 29.