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Penalties - Manufacturing
Penalties are fines for health and safety violations of the Workers Compensation Act and/or the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. For information on when penalties are considered and how the amount of the penalty is calculated, see the FAQs.
The address given is the location where the violation occurred and is not necessarily the address of the penalized business. The registered business name is given as well as any "doing business as" (DBA) name.
The delay between the date of the penalty and publication of the penalty by WorkSafeBC is partially a result of allowing time for employers and other interested parties to respond to the initial penalty and for the appeal process.
Manufacturing
Recent Penalties
Company: Weyerhaeuser Company Limited, DBA BC Coastal Division, New Westminster Sawmill, 400 Jardine North Foot, New Westminster 
Classification unit: Sawmill
Amount: $297,000
Date of penalty: August 24, 2007
Failure to ensure the health and safety of a worker by not adequately addressing a well-known hazard, resulting in a worker fatality.
Company: Apache Canada Ltd., Apache Ladyfern, A-97-H/94-H-1, North of Fort St. John
Classification unit: Oil or gas production
Amount: $4,829
Date of penalty: August 8, 2007
Repeat violation of failing to coordinate the activities of workers.
Company: Lilydale Inc., Southwest Farms Ltd., 2623 216 Street, Langley
Classification unit: Poultry processing
Amount: $15,000
Date of penalty: July 31, 2007
Failure to notify WorkSafeBC immediately of an incident, as well as disturbing the scene of an incident that resulted in the serious injury and subsequent death of a worker.
Company: Heron Construction & Millwork Limited, 150 - 2540 Simpson Road, Richmond
Classification unit: Woodworking or carpentry shop
Amount: $4,377
Date of penalty: July 23, 2007
Repeat failure to ensure that a first-aid attendant is present on site as required.
Company: Falcon Manufacturing Ltd., DBA Falcon Ladder & Scaffolding, 222 Adams Road, Kelowna
Classification unit: Metal bed, furniture, or ladder manufacture
Amount: $38,395
Date of penalty: April 19, 2007
This penalty relates to three separate issues: lack of guarding on a press resulting in crush injuries to a young worker's hand, lack of lockout procedures, and general failure to supervise and inspect the workplace to prevent the development of unsafe conditions.
Company: McDonald Ranch & Lumber Ltd., Highway 93 South, Roosville
Classification unit: Sawmill
Amount: $6,770
Date of penalty: August 22, 2006
Employer continually failed to implement an occupational health and safety program in its sawmill.
Prior Penalties in Date Order
Company: McBride Forest Industries Ltd. (Woodlands Division), Plantway Road, McBride
Classification unit: Veneer or plywood manufacture
Amount: $14,269
Date of penalty: June 22, 2007
Failure to ensure the health and safety of workers through provision of adequate information, instruction, training, and supervision with respect to the safe operation of mobile equipment.
Company: West Fraser Mills Ltd., Fraser Lake Sawmills, Fraser Lake
Classification unit: Sawmill
Amount: $75,000
Date of penalty: March 22, 2007
Fatal accident where a worker was killed when a large oil bin fell on him. The worker was attempting to raise the bin in an unsafe manner, which was not scrutinized by supervisors. The employer had failed to provide workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety.
Company: West Fraser Mills Ltd., Plywood Division, 4200 Mackenzie Avenue, Williams Lake
Classification unit: Veneer or plywood manufacture
Amount: $63,750
Date of penalty: March 14, 2007
Fatal accident wherein a worker was crushed by a loader carrying peeler logs at a plywood manufacturing facility. The worker was walking in an area in which two loaders operated at high speed. The employer had failed to identify workplace hazards and implement safeguards.
Company: Chalet Cabinets Inc., 3171 Thunderbird Crescent, Burnaby
Classification unit: Woodworking or carpentry shop
Amount: $5,638
Date of penalty: December 14, 2006
Repeat failure to comply with requirements for providing adequate first aid services and supplies, and other health and safety program issues.
Company: Newalta Corporation, 6288 249 Road, Baldonnel
Classification unit: Oil refining or recycling
Amount: $22,016
Date of penalty: November 21, 2006
Employer failed to develop and implement adequate confined-space procedures, potentially exposing workers to several conditions (lack of oxygen, toxic gases such as benzene, fire/explosion hazard) that were immediately dangerous to life and health.
Company: Target Products Ltd., 7550 Conrad Street, Burnaby
Classification unit: Cement manufacture
Amount: $93,351
Date of penalty: November 6, 2006
Failure to ensure the health and safety of a worker. Failure to ensure power sources to the cement mixer drum and the cement mixer paddles were locked out before entering the mixer drum. Failure to ensure that a confined-space entry program was implemented. Failure to ensure that a worker was provided with adequate training, instructions, and supervision to ensure his/her safety.
Company: Park Avenue Furniture (BC) Corporation, 1525 Derwent Way, Delta
Classification unit: Wooden furniture manufacture
Amount: $71,651
Date of penalty: June 23, 2006
A worker's arm was partially amputated when she contacted an unguarded saw blade. The employer failed to guard the equipment, to provide adequate instruction and training regarding lockout procedures, and to implement a health and safety program.
Company: A & P Cabinets (2000) Ltd., 8770 Ash Street, Vancouver
Classification unit: Woodworking or carpentry shop
Amount: $18,627
Date of penalty: May 17, 2006
Repeat non-compliance with the requirements to: (1) train forklift operators; (2) ensure material safety data sheets (MSDSs) are available on-site for all WHMIS-controlled products used or stored; (3) develop and implement written lockout procedures; (4) develop and implement a written health and safety program; (5) establish a joint health and safety committee; (6) fit-test workers for cartridge respirators; and (7) label containers filled with WHMIS-controlled products.
Company: Babine Forest Products Limited, Tibbets Road, Highway 16, 20 km east of Burns Lake
Classification unit: Sawmill
Amount: $32,450
Date of penalty: May 2, 2006
Failure to construct and maintain owner's land and premises, being used as a workplace, in a manner that ensures the health and safety of persons at or near the workplace.
Company: Chasyn Canadian Forest Products Ltd., 23347 McKay Avenue, Maple Ridge
Classification unit: Wooden component manufacture
Amount: $3,250
Date of penalty: March 3, 2006
In the course of an accident investigation, a WorkSafeBC officer ordered the firm to cease operation of certain equipment until measures were taken to prevent a similar accident. The officer returned to the site a few days later and found the firm using the equipment in direct violation of her order.
Company: Universal Granite Ltd., Unit 7 - 8980 Fraserwood Court, Burnaby
Classification unit: Stone or marble cutting, dressing, shaping, or lettering, or stone or marble product manufacture
Amount: $2,500
Date of penalty: February 24, 2006
The firm's operations involve the cutting, grinding, and polishing of stone, including granite. Over a six-month time period, the firm was inspected on several occasions. Several orders were issued for repeat and continued non-compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The firm's non-compliance was wilful or with reckless disregard and resulted in worker exposure to hazardous substances such as silica, which presents a high risk of serious illness, injury, or death.
Company: Derek Brent Watson & William Watson, DBA B&D Enterprises, 1755 Highway 33, Rock Creek
Classification unit: Woodworking or carpentry shop
Amount: $17,950
Date of penalty: February 23, 2006
A young worker had part of his hand amputated while using a chop saw. The saw was not guarded as required by the regulations. The total penalty amount is a combination of an administrative penalty and a claim levy (section 73 of the Workers Compensation Act) imposed because the injury was substantially due to the employer's failure to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation.
Company: M3 Steel (Kamloops) Ltd., Columbia Street, Kamloops
Classification unit: Structural metal product fabrication
Amount: $8,797
Date of penalty: February 13, 2006
Failure to supervise workers to ensure fall protection equipment is used when required.
Company: Jemico Enterprises Ltd., 3375 Smiley Road, Chemainus
Classification unit: Sawmill
Amount: $21,683
Date of penalty: January 25, 2006
A worker fell from the top of a wood fibre (chip) transport truck and died. The top of the truck was approximately 4 m (13 ft.) from the ground. There was no fall protection equipment available. The firm did not provide adequate training in fall protection. A supervisor was aware that workers were on top of the chip truck but did not take any corrective action.
Company: Snowcap Lumber Ltd., 31281 Wheel Avenue, Abbotsford
Classification unit: Veneer or plywood manufacture
Amount: $7,985
Date of penalty: January 18, 2006
Over a three-year period, the firm failed to develop and maintain WHMIS, hearing conservation, and musculoskeletal injury prevention programs.
Company: P T I Punch Tools Inc., #11 - 211 Schoolhouse Street, Coquitlam
Classification unit: Metal product manufacture (not elsewhere specified)
Amount: $21,640
Date of penalty: December 22, 2005
Repeat failure to provide adequate point-of-operation safeguarding and repeat failure to provide instruction, training, and supervision to workers in the safe operation of a mechanical press, which resulted in significant hand injuries.
Company: Best Gourmet Coffee Wholesales Ltd., Maple Meadows Industrial Park, 20091 113B Avenue, Maple Ridge
Classification unit: Coffee, tea, herb, or spice packaging or manufacture
Amount: $3,806
Date of penalty: November 17, 2005
The employer repeatedly failed to stack material in a stable and secure manner, despite repeated orders to do so.
Company: Kelfor Industries Ltd., 18946 98 Avenue, Surrey
Classification unit: Custom wood kiln
Amount: $28,311
Date of penalty: November 16, 2005
Failure to follow lockout procedures while doing maintenance on energized equipment and failure to adequately instruct workers in lockout procedures.
Company: 637312 BC LTD., DBA Range Truss, 132 Industrial Road #1, Invermere
Classification unit: Wooden truss manufacture
Amount: $49,773
Date of penalty: November 14, 2005
Serious injury to a young worker. Numerous violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
and the Workers Compensation Act, including equipment that had not been safeguarded and
an emergency stop bar that had been intentionally rendered ineffective. Violations
committed wilfully or with reckless disregard. In addition to an administrative
penalty, a claim cost levy was imposed pursuant to section 73 of the Act.
Company: Superior Venetian Blind Services (1991) Ltd., DBA The Venetian Blind Service Centre, 331 West 7 Avenue, Vancouver
Classification unit: Blind or drapery track manufacture
Amount: $15,742
Date of penalty: November 8, 2005
Repeat violations for failure to initiate and maintain an informal health and safety program based on regular monthly meetings, and failure to ensure that workers receive adequate instruction in the use, limitations, and maintenance of required respiratory protection.
Company: Teck Cominco Metals Ltd., Trail Operation,
Lead Smelter, South Trail
Classification unit: Teck Cominco Metals Ltd.
Amount: $75,000
Date of penalty: October 28, 2005
Following an explosion, workers were required to evacuate through a dangerous
area. An investigation of the incident revealed that the need for a secondary
emergency exit had been raised several months before the explosion. The employer
had taken some preliminary steps to correct the identified unsafe conditions,
but never completed the project.
Company: Icicle Seafoods (BC) Inc., 6001 60 Avenue, Delta
Classification unit: Fish processing or fish reduction
Amount: $43,903
Date of penalty: October 28, 2005
A forklift operator from a labour supply firm was loading materials for the firm. The lighting levels on the ramp were only about 10 percent of the level required by the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, and the operator was not wearing a seat belt. The forklift backed partially on to a ledge and tipped over, killing the worker instantly. The firm received a penalty for failing to have adequate workplace lighting, to have and use required lights on mobile equipment, and, as a prime contractor, to ensure compliance with the Workers Compensation Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation.
Company: De Stijl Furniture Ltd., 110
-- 5940 No. 2 Road, Richmond
Classification unit: Wooden furniture manufacture
Amount: $7,146
Date of penalty: September 28, 2005
The firm was in repeat non-compliance with the requirement to ensure that a
first aid attendant is present on-site.
Company: C & C Wood Products Ltd., 1751 Quesnel-Hixon Road, Quesnel
Classification unit: Sawmill
Amount: $89,529
Date of penalty: August 18, 2004
There were three separate incidents in 2002 where workers were injured, as well as one incident involving a non-injury. Each incident involved violations of section 115(2)(e) of the Workers Compensation Act. Two also related to violations of the regulations related to guarding. The firm had a significant record of previous violations and, in particular, previous guarding violations prior to the first accident.
Company: Trident Millwork & Display Industries
Ltd., 11140 River Road, Richmond
Classification unit: Woodworking or carpentry shop
Amount: $47,229
Date of penalty: August 5, 2004
Continued non-compliance --- wilful or with reckless disregard: Failure to
safeguard the hazardous points of operation for table saws. Failure to conduct
regular inspections that would prevent the development of unsafe working conditions.
On penalty review at Review Division, the penalty amount was increased based
upon weighing the variation of factors found in Policy D12-196-6 and the fact
that the firm continued to be in non-compliance at the time of hearing.
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