Two construction companies fined tens of thousands for violations at Fort St. John worksites

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Two construction companies have been fined for alleged safety violations at Fort St. John work sites.

According to WorkSafeBC’s penalty summaries page, D.D.E Construction and WCPG Construction were both fined in October after inspections at residential properties they were working on.

D.D.E’s penalty, dated October 9th, was issued after a WorkSafeBC inspection that took place while employees did finishing and roofing work on a four-storey building.

Reportedly, the agency observed a worker on a sloped roof whose fall protection harness wasn’t connected to a lifeline, with no other forms of fall protection in place.

“The firm failed to ensure fall protection was used, a repeated and high-risk violation,” the summary reads. D.D.E Construction was ultimately fined $37,548.

Meanwhile, the summary for the other penalty — dated October 16th — says WorkSafeBC inspected a residential work site in Fort St. John where WCPG was the primary contractor.

During the inspection, the agency claims to have observed “multiple health and safety deficiencies” related to fall protection, installing roof trusses, temporary work platforms and work near energized electrical equipment.

“As prime contractor of a multiple-employer workplace, the firm failed to do everything reasonably practicable to establish and maintain a system for ensuring safety compliance at the worksite, a high-risk violation,” the penalty summary reads. 

“In addition, the firm failed to ensure regular inspections were made at intervals to prevent the development of unsafe working conditions, a repeated violation.”

Following the inspection, WCPG was fined $26,245.60.

Energeticcity.ca contacted both companies for comment and did not immediately receive a response from either.