WorkSafeBC has issued fines to four Victoria-based construction firms for failing to protect workers from fall hazards—one of the leading causes of serious injury in the industry.
The penalties, recently published on WorkSafeBC’s online database, range from $2,500 to over $10,000. Each fine was tied to situations where workers were exposed to significant fall risks without the proper use of safety equipment, training, or supervision.
In a media release, Mike Geric Construction Ltd. was indentified as receiving the largest fine, totalling $10,516.19. WorkSafeBC inspectors observed a worker standing near the edge of a balcony roof on a multi-storey residential building under construction, with no guardrails or fall protection in place.
The worker was exposed to a fall risk of approximately 147 feet. The company was also found to be without a written fall protection plan, as required for work done at heights exceeding 24 feet.
Both issues were classified as high-risk and repeated violations.
RR Roof Rider Ltd. was fined $9,502.02 after inspections at two separate re-roofing sites in Victoria. Workers were seen on sloped roofs without any fall protection, facing potential falls greater than 14 feet. The company was also penalized for not providing adequate training, instruction, or supervision to ensure worker safety. These were also considered high-risk and repeated violations.
Roof Guys Roofing, operated by Dwight Gordon Fengstad, was issued a $5,000 fine after an inspection of a two-storey residential roofing job. A worker was spotted on a sloped roof wearing a harness but not connected to a lifeline, and no other fall protection measures were in place.
The violation was deemed both repeated and high-risk.
Right Choice Exterior Ltd. received a $2,500 penalty following an inspection of a commercial site. In this case, WorkSafe said a worker was observed on the edge of a flat roof, wearing a harness but not anchored to a lifeline or any other system.
With no other form of fall protection present, the company was cited for a repeated and high-risk violation.
According to WorkSafeBC, falls from elevation continue to be a top cause of injury and death in the construction sector. From 2020 to 2024, more than 5,400 injury claims were filed due to falls from height, including nearly 1,900 serious injuries and 35 fatalities.
In 2023 alone, over 1,000 workers in construction were injured from similar incidents.
The agency reminds employers that BC’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requires fall protection systems when workers are exposed to drops of three metres or more—or at any height where a fall could result in serious harm.
Proper planning, training, supervision, and equipment use are all essential steps in preventing these types of incidents.
More information on administrative penalties and workplace safety can be found at worksafebc.com.
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