Worksafe B.C. has fined the Oliver branch of B.C. Tree Fruits for repeated infractions of not providing adequate guards and for not providing training in fall protection to their workers.
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May 09, 2018 - 6:30 AM
OLIVER - Health and safety violations proved costly to a South Okanagan workplace.
Worksafe B.C. reports this month B.C. Tree Fruits Cooperative in Oliver was fined $218,000 on April 4 after being penalized for violations found on two separate inspections.
On the initial inspection, Worksafe B.C. personnel observed two workers servicing a condenser unit on the building’s roof in a situation where work conditions had changed.
The firm had not assessed how work tasks would be affected by the changes, which included the removal of permanent guardrails.
The workers were unsupervised and had no instructions as to the use of fall protection for the work area, nor were they advised of safety procedures required prior to accessing the area.
The workers were exposed to a fall risk of up to 9.8 metres, or 32 feet.
A second inspection revealed sprocket and chain guards missing from a bin dumper, and belt drives in the ammonia room inadequately guarded.
Worksafe B.C. says the firm failed to ensure every gear and sprocket was completely guarded, and failed to adequately guard in-running nip points of power transmission belts.
The lack of guarding were repeat violations, based on similar violations at other locations of B.C. Tree Fruits.
Failure to use fall protection is considered a high-risk violation.
A request to review the penalty has been made.
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