‘The firm failed to ensure it had a qualified person develop an exposure control plan, failed to ensure workers used appropriate respirators’
British Columbia employer Ruskin Construction Ltd. has been fined $81,796.81 for multiple workplace safety violations.
WorkSafeBC imposed the fine on May 1 after investigating the company’s operations while it was dismantling a bridge.
WorkSafeBC inspected the worksite and observed three workers using jackhammers to break down concrete.
However, there were no controls in place to protect workers from respirable crystalline silica (RCS), according to the government agency. WorkSafeBC issued a stop-work order.
“The firm failed to ensure it had a qualified person develop an exposure control plan, failed to ensure workers used appropriate respirators, and failed to ensure workers were clean-shaven where the respirator seals with the face,” said the agency.
“The firm also failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety—a repeated violation—and failed to ensure the health and safety of all workers at the worksite.”
These were all high-risk violations, according to WorkSafeBC.
What are the safety precautions for jackhammer use?
Jackhammers fall under the category of pneumatic tools. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), these tools are powered by compressed air. Common types of air-powered hand tools used in industry include buffers, nailing and stapling guns, grinders, drills, jackhammers, chipping hammers, riveting guns, sanders, and wrenches.
Here are some safety precautions when using pneumatic tools, according to CCOHS, which employers can share with their workers:
- Review the manufacturer's instructions before using a tool.
- Wear safety glasses or goggles, or a face shield (with safety glasses or goggles), and, where necessary, safety shoes or boots and hearing protection.
- Post warning signs where pneumatic tools are used. Set up screens or shields in areas where nearby workers may be exposed to flying fragments, chips, dust, and excessive noise.
- Ensure that the compressed air supplied to the tool is clean and dry. Dust, moisture, and corrosive fumes can damage a tool. An in-line regulator, filter, and lubricator increase tool life.
- Keep tools clean and lubricated, and maintain them according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Use only the attachments that the manufacturer recommends for the tools you are using.
- Be careful to prevent hands, feet, or body from injury in case the machine slips or the tool breaks.
- Reduce physical fatigue by supporting heavy tools with a counterbalance wherever possible.
In late 2023, Ruskin Construction was also fined $60,849.07 by WorksafeBC after a worker was injured at this firm’s bridge construction site, according to a report from CKPG.
