Construction company hit with $28k WorkSafe fine

Work on a Coquitlam construction site was shut down earlier this year after safety inspectors spotted several violations including exposed rebar and a lack of fall protection.

A townhouse complex with a parkade was at the excavation phase last January when an inspector arrived at 639 Aspen St.

Workers were using ladders that weren’t secured, cantilever platforms had been installed without instructions from an engineer, and workers were at a height of 10 feet without fall protection, according to the inspection report.

The WorkSafeBC inspector also spotted hosepipes and waste material scattered across the site exposing workers to tripping hazards.

“I observed protruding concrete reinforcing steel at various locations throughout the workplace including on the deck where workers were actively working. The employer did not ensure that protruding objects that create a risk of injury were removed or effectively guarded,” the inspector stated in the report.

A stop-work order was issued shortly after the inspection.

The inspection also revealed deficiencies related to first-aid provisions and crane operator training, according to a release from WorkSafeBC.

As the prime contractor of the “multiple employer workplace,” Allaire Construction Inc. “failed to ensure health and safety activities were coordinated and to establish and maintain a system of regulatory compliance. This was a repeated violation,” stated WorkSafeBC.

The company was fined $28,424.