Beedie fined $297k for ‘repeated violations’ after worker collapses on job site

One worker had to be hospitalized last March after Beedie Construction failed to ensure carbon monoxide didn’t exceed exposure limits at an Austin Avenue job site, according to a WorkSafeBC report.

“Although only one worker was injured, other workers may have been injured at this workplace,” the report stated.

Workers were doing a “final cleaning” of the six-level parkade at the 1045 Austin Avenue highrise on March 22.

One worker started using a gas-powered pressure washer at about 7 a.m. At approximately 10:30 a.m., a worker was found collapsed in the parkade.

First-aid was administered and emergency responders were called to the site.

“Coquitlam Fire and Rescue measured carbon monoxide levels of approximately 555 parts per million,” according to the report.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, carbon monoxide levels in homes without gas stoves tend to range between 0.5 and 5 parts per million. Homes with poorly adjusted gas stoves might have carbon monoxide levels in the range of 30 parts per million.

The WorkSafeBC report noted that carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin and makes it harder for red blood cells to carry oxygen to organs throughout the body.

“This can result in death,” the report stated.

There were eight workers at the job site during the inspection, according to WorkSafeBC.

The watchdog agency eventually fined Beedie $297,647.

Beedie failed to ensure no worker was “exposed to a substance exceeding its prescribed limit.” The company also failed to ensure exhaust from an internal combustion engine was vented to the outdoors.

“These were both repeated violations,” the release stated.

The employer “relied on the automated gas detection and ventilation system in the parkade to detect carbon monoxide and activate the parkade fans,” according to the report.

WorkSafeBC concluded those systems failed to turn on when elevated carbon monoxide levels were generated.

Beedie Construction was ordered to immediately stop use of the pressure washer as well as the forklift, which was also powered by an internal combustion engine.

“The firm failed to ensure each piece of equipment in its workplace was capable of safely performing its function, and to implement an exposure control plan,” according to WorkSafeBC.

The employer didn’t provide sufficient oversight to prevent unsafe condition and didn’t effectively assess the risk of using an internal combustion engine indoors, according to the report.

The report also stated that consideration should always be given to using electric equipment, “which does not result in the accumulation of exhaust contaminants.”

If that’s not practical, there needs to be ongoing carbon monoxide monitoring to ensure: “that both the short-term exposure limit and 8-hour limit are not exceeded,” according to WorkSafeBC.