Companies fall foul of regulator over maintenance and inspection protocol
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WorkSafeBC has penalized two British Columbia employers for violations relating to transport vehicles in the workplace.
Qualified Contractors Ltd. in Surrey was fined $7,093.66 after WorkSafeBC and Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement (CVSE) found a number of safety deficiencies in the firm's farm worker transport vehicle.
Specifically, they found cargo that wasn’t secured, non-compliant lighting, a cracked windshield and worn tire axles.
(1) Materials, goods, tools or equipment carried in a portion or compartment of a vehicle in which workers are riding must be located and secured to prevent injury to the operator or workers.
(2) If materials, goods, tools or equipment are regularly carried in a worker transportation vehicle there must be a designated area in the vehicle for transporting these items.
According to B.C.’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation Part 17: Transportation of Workers, materials, goods, tools or equipment carried in a portion or compartment of a vehicle in which workers are riding must be located and secured to prevent injury to the operator or workers.
WorkSafeBC determined a proper pre-trip vehicle inspection hadn’t been conducted, and issued a stop-use order for the vehicle.
“The firm failed to ensure that vehicles used to transport workers were maintained and operated in a safe manner. This was a repeated violation,” according to WorkSafeBC.
B N N Enterprises Ltd. in Pitt Meadows was also fined $5,000.00.
WorkSafeBC previously inspected the firm's worker transportation vehicle and issued a stop-use order for the vehicle until critical repairs were made.
During a follow-up inspection, the agency found that the repairs had not been made and the firm had used the vehicle in violation of the stop-use order. The firm failed to comply with a WorkSafeBC order.
OHS Regulation Part 17 also notes that vehicles used to transport workers must be designed, maintained and operated in a safe manner.
Also, if workers are to travel in a worker transportation vehicle, the employer must ensure that “an inspection of the worker transportation vehicle has been conducted by a qualified person before first use on a work shift” and “any defect which might affect the safety of workers is corrected before the vehicle is used.”
READ MORE: WorkSafeBC also charged two employers in the province over violations related to asbestos in the workplace.