Worker falls from barn roof, company fined $45K

Lifeline had too much slack to properly arrest a fall

Worker falls from barn roof, company fined $45K

 

Dual Kloot Construction was building a barn in Chilliwack, B.C. WorkSafeBC conducted an investigation after one of the firm's representatives sustained serious injuries in a fall from the barn roof and fined the company $44,922.

 

The representative had been installing roof trusses and was walking along 2x4 strapping when the strapping broke. The representative fell about 5.5 metres (18 feet.).

 

WorkSafeBC determined that the representative's personal fall protection system was not being used correctly, because the lifeline had too much slack to properly arrest a fall.

 

Also, there were no anchorage connectors for the lifeline, and trusses were being used as an anchorage point without proof of their ultimate load capacity.

 

The firm's failure to ensure the use of fall protection was a repeated and high-risk violation. Also, the firm failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety, a repeated violation. 

 

Source: WorkSafeBC