$47K fine for worker death

Photo: Kicking Horse Resort Facebook

The Kicking Horse Ski Resort near Golden has been fined just over $47,000 by WorkSafeBC for the death of an employee last year.

A 41-year-old Golden man died on March 16, 2017 while he was working on one of the resorts lifts.

A WorkSafeBC penalty summary recently published online states the worker was performing maintenance on the tracking of the lift while it was running.

“The worker was caught between the conveyor belt, an idler roller, and the conveyor framework, and sustained fatal injuries,” the summary states.

WorkSafeBC’s investigation found that the conveyor had and not been properly powered down or locked out.

“The firm did not have lockout procedures in place for working on the tracking of the ski lift,” the summary continues. “This was contrary to the manufacturer's instructions for lockout procedures and training.”

The worker also accessed the maintenance area through a hole that should have been bolted shut, because the correct access hole was blocked by snow and soil.

“The firm failed to ensure the health and safety of its workers,” the penalty concludes.

The fine was imposed on April 16, 2018. There is no indication the resort has appealed the penalty.