BC Hydro has been fined $710,000 after WorkSafeBC inspectors found damaged ventilation equipment and “deficiencies” to protect workers from “welding fume hazards” at its Site C hydroelectric dam near Fort St. John.
According to a WorkSafeBC inspection report seen by Glacier Media, the utility failed to follow engineered plans and safety protocols to ensure worker safety.
The worker health and safety agency said the firm that was subcontracted to do the welding work “did not have an adequate exposure control plan in place for welding fumes.”
“As prime contractor of a multiple-employer workplace, the employer failed to establish and maintain a system of regulatory compliance, a high-risk violation,” wrote WorkSafeBC in a summary of its findings.
“The employer also failed to keep up-to-date written procedures for providing first aid at the worksite. These were both repeated violations.”
BC Hydro did not respond to Glacier Media by the time of publication.
The public utility and its contractors have faced a number of worker safety penalties in recent years, especially at the Site C Clean Energy Project. From 2018 to 2020, Peace River Hydro Partners Construction Ltd. faced three six-digit penalties, according to WorkSafeBC records.
The company, which worked as BC Hydro's main contractor at Site C, was penalized more than $1.63 million over the three-year period.
