March 16, 2010

WorkSafeBC issued record number of fines in 2009

VANCOUVER

WorkSafeBC handed out a record $4.4 million in fines last year, eclipsing a 2007 record that the safety agency was hoping it wouldn’t see again.

Last year, 211 penalties were imposed against 190 employers, almost 60 per cent of which involved construction-related industries.

The largest fine, $250,000, was levied against Fort St. John-based Canadian Natural Resources after a young worker fell from a drilling rig platform when it was engulfed in flames. Sixteen of the incidents involved a fatality.

Agency spokeswoman Roberta Ellis says employers need to take the responsibility for a safe workplace seriously. No penalty is imposed if the employer has taken all care to prevent a violation.

Ellis says WorkSafeBC has increased its inspection and investigation capacity for industries and employers that present the highest risk to workers.

Canadian Press

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