WorkSafeBC fines contractor $9,000 for serious worker injury

PORT CLEMENTS, B.C. – WorkSafeBC has fined Stephan Contracting Ltd. $9,430.37 for an incident that resulted in a worker sustaining serious injuries.
The worker was struck by a large wooden beam after the beam fell off posts supported by a skid-steer fork attachment, states WorkSafeBC.
The incident happened during the construction of a building extension in Port Clements. The fine was imposed on Dec. 22, 2022.
The WorkSafeBC fine states the worker was not sufficiently trained or supervised for the task and Stephan Contracting had not adequately identified the hazards or conducted a risk assessment to control them.
“The firm failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety, a high-risk violation,” reads the fine.
“The firm also failed to ensure mobile equipment was inspected before operations, riders of mobile equipment used seatbelts and mobile equipment had an alternate means of escape.”
Stephan Contracting was also accused of failing to immediately notify WorkSafeBC of the incident and failed to leave the incident scene undisturbed.