A pair of B.C. businesses have been fined more than $42,000 combined for failing to provide proper safety measures at home construction sites in New Westminster.
Both incidents occurred over the summer, according to WorkSafeBC — the province's watchdog for workplace safety.
J & J Framing Ltd. was setback a total of $22,683.80 for exposing its employees to a possible fall of 20 feet while working on a three-storey residence.
In its public report, WorkSafeBC said an inspector witnessed five workers with the Abbotsford firm "erecting an exterior wall on the third level of the house" with no form of fall protection.
This is considered a repeated and high-risk violations, WorkSafeBC said.
The fine was imposed against J & J Framing on Aug. 15.
Meanwhile, a Surrey-based roofing company was also handed a five-figure fine for fall protection negligence.
R & M Gill Enterprise Ltd. was ticketed $20,000 for exposing its workers to a fall of 16 feet at a two-storey building in New West.
Two employees, though they were wearing safety harnesses, were not connected to anchors along the leading edge of the flat roof that would've better prevented a possible fall.
"The firm failed to ensure fall protection was used, a repeated and high-risk violation," WorkSafeBC explained in its report.
R & M Gill Enterprise's fine was imposed on July 29.
