Dawson Creek construction company receives $2,500 fine from WorkSafe BC

CHETWYND, B.C. — Dawson Creek company Celtic Construction received a $2,500 fine from WorkSafe BC for three safety violations that occurred in Chetwynd last November. 

According to WorkSafe BC’s inspection notes, three violations required action. At the time of this article’s publishing, the status of the first violation is closed, but two remain outstanding. 

The first violation details that two workers were observed on the roof of the Chetwynd Public Library, which was under construction at the time, without the proper means of fall protection in place. 

Notes from WorkSafe BC state five workers were on site during the inspection, and recent snow was still present on the roof where the two workers were observed. 

The workers were wearing fall protection harnesses but were not connected to lifelines. No other form of fall protection was in place, leaving the workers exposed to a fall risk of approximately 3.8 metres. 

The workers were in the line of sight of a supervisor at the time of the observation.

The inspection notes state a worker believed there was a raised warning line in place when there wasn’t. 

WorkSafe BC’s report says Celtic Construction failed to ensure fall protection was used and failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety. These are both considered high-risk violations, according to WorkSafe BC. 

The workers were asked to come down off of the roof. When the supervisor and workers confirmed they had the equipment needed to comply with WorkSafe BC’s regulations, they were allowed to resume work. 

Although Celtic Construction has written first aid procedures that were posted in the work trailer on site — the procedures were incomplete and not up to date, according to the second violation listed in the inspection notes.  The construction company labelled the procedures as an “Emergency Response Plan” when the proper name should be labelled as “First Aid Procedures.” This order’s status remains outstanding, according to WorkSafe BC’s inspection notes. 

The third violation states Celtic Construction’s workers on the site believed that a raised warning line was allowed but were not aware that a safety watch was required and that the raised warning line system is only allowed as a last resort. According to the inspection notes, order three’s status remains outstanding. 

The inspection occurred on November 7th, 2023, and the fine was imposed on December 20th of the same year.