Property management company fined twice for ignoring asbestos issue at same Vernon building

A BC property management company, fined $9,000 for failing to deal with asbestos dust when it ripped up vinyl flooring at a Vernon property, has been stung with a further $18,000 fine when inspectors following up found it still flouting the rules.

According to a recently published March 25 WorkSafeBC penalty notice, Welbec Properties was fined $9,270 after it removed vinyl floor tile from a stairway of an unnamed Vernon property.

The vinyl flooring was made from a material containing asbestos, but the company hadn’t followed protocol when it ripped the flooring up in the stairwell used by multiple tenants in the building.

“The firm failed to ensure a risk assessment was conducted by a qualified person before beginning work that would disturb (asbestos). The firm also failed to take the necessary precautions to protect workers, to prevent the spread of asbestos dust and debris, and to ensure procedures for handling (asbestos) minimized the release of airborne asbestos fibres,” the penalty notice read.

WorkSafeBC issued a stop-work order and fined Welbec.

However, when WorkSafeBC inspectors came for a follow-up inspection, they found the company continued to ignore the rules.

“WorkSafeBC observed a representative of the firm and two abatement consultants exiting the workplace without personal protective equipment and in violation of the stop-work order. The firm failed to ensure people in a designated work area wore protective clothing resistant to asbestos fibres and respirators with an adequate level of protection,” the penalty notice read.

WorkSafeBC then fined the company a further $18,540.

“These were all high-risk violations. In addition, the firm failed to comply with a WorkSafeBC order,” the notice read.