UPDATE:
An unsuitable ladder, inadequate training and inadequate supervision were factors in the death of a Penticton car wash employee in 2017, according to a WorkSafeBC incident investigation report.
The incident happened on Nov. 8, 2017, when an employee died at Super Wash on Main Street.
The report said the unnamed man was fatally injured when a 12-foot, aluminum extension ladder that he was using slid.
The man fell eight feet and five inches from the top of an unguarded mezzanine to the concrete surface below.
To access the mezzanine, WorkSafeBC said the ladder was placed against a metal shelving unit that was secured to a cinderblock wall.
The workplace fatality happened early in the morning, in the mechanical room of the car wash, just before 7 a.m.
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The man was working alone at the time. A delivery driver, who regularly attends the business, discovered the scene at 10:29 a.m., and immediately called 911.
The delivery driver was looking for an employee for a signature when he peered inside the mechanical room.
WorkSafeBC said the man was pronounced deceased by emergency service responders.
In its report, WorkSafeBC said the man was trying to access a mezzanine, which contained a soft water tank. Soft water is used during the rinsing process for a spot-free shine.
The water softening system was said to be automated and generally did not require attention, though workers occasionally needed to manipulate a stuck float or manually fill the tank every few months or so.
“The investigation determined that the employer did not have procedures for maintenance of or repairs to the system, and that workers were not adequately instructed in how to perform these tasks,” said WorkSafeBC.
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WorkSafeBC said the feet of the ladder were in ill repair, with deficiencies, including severely worn treads and excessive side-to-side play. It also said “these deficiencies affected the stability of the ladder, making it unsuitable for any use.”
Regarding the metal shelving unit, “the top of the metal shelf was found to have several footprints of residue from workers’ shoes, and some of the workers confirmed that would in fact step off the ladder onto the top shelf, then onto the mezzanine.
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“They would need to do the reverse when leaving the mezzanine, as they were not able to reach the top rung of the ladder without first stepping onto the shelf.”
The shelf was 12 inches deep by 36 inches wide, while the width of the ladder was 16 inches.
Further, the report said “the damaged top shelf of the shelving unit used as the point of support for the ladder was not suitable for that purpose. In addition, the ladder was not sufficiently secured to ensure stability during access to or egress from the mezzanine level.”
In fining Super Wash, WorkSafeBC said the inspection report cited two Occupational Health and Safety Regulation violations and one violation of the Workers Compensation Act.
- Sec. 13.5 (2)(b) of the Regulation: Failure to secure a non-self supporting ladder that provides access to or egress from an upper landing.
- Sec. 3.2 (a) of the Regulation: Failure to initiate and maintain a less formal program based on monthly meetings with workers for discussion of health and safety matters.
- Sec. 115 (1)(a) of the Act: Failure to ensure the health and safety of all workers working for the employer.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A Penticton car wash has been handed a $2,500 fine for a “high risk violation” after a worker was killed on the job in November 2017.
A man in his 60s was found deceased in a storage area at Super Wash on Main Street on Nov. 8.
The employee used a ladder to access a mezzanine that housed a water tank for the car wash.
The ladder and the worker fell, and the worker sustained fatal injuries.
A WorkSafeBC investigation concluded that the ladder was not suitable for use, that workers had not been adequately trained about the use of portable ladders, and there were no guards or guardrails around the mezzanine.
“Furthermore, the firm had not provided adequate worker orientations, had not adequately supervised its workers and did not have a health and safety program,” said the penalty summary, posted to the WorkSafeBC website.
It determined that overall, the business failed to ensure the health and safety of its workers.
Global Okanagan has reached out to the car wash facility for comment.
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