CFJC Today | The Interior Health Authority has been hit with a nearly $800,000 penalty after WorkSafe BC found asbestos had been disturbed at a long-term care facility in Kamloops. The specific facility was not named by WorkSafe.
In its summary of the $783,068.26 penalty, WorkSafeBC says it had inspected the long-term care facility after hearing reports of asbestos-containing materials that had been disturbed. Installation work had taken place for telecommunications equipment, and a wall near an area used by staff had been drilled into, which had been identified as containing asbestos.
The penalty summary states WorkSafeBC found Interior Health (IH) failed to make sure people who had received reports of unsafe conditions investigated the situation and took corrective action without delay. This was found to be a repeated violation.
WorkSafeBC says IH also didn’t make sure that a qualified risk assessment was done before the work began. The health authority was also penalized for not implementing an adequate exposure control plan for controlling and handling asbestos.
The reasons for the expensive fine were all considered to be “high-risk violations,” according to WorkSafeBC’s summary.
