Developer, contractor fined $2,500 after Kelowna worker falls from third storey

Photo: WorkSafeBC

A developer and subcontractor have been fined $2,500 each after a Kelowna worker was seriously hurt in a fall from height.

Executive Flight Centre Developments and framing subcontractor Mann and Chahal Construction were both fined $2,500 last year by WorkSafeBC in relation to an incident on May 25, 2023.

“A worker was framing and erecting exterior walls on the third storey of a townhouse building under construction when he fell off the leading edge, which was approximately 6.5 m above the ground,” says a WorkSafeBC investigation released to Castanet News.

“He fell through a temporary guardrail and landed on a stack of lumber and then onto the ground. The worker sustained serious injuries.”

While the investigation into the incident was completed in April 2024, WorkSafeBC just recently publicized the penalties online.

The injured worker, who was employed by Mann and Chahal Construction as a framer, was working at a townhome development at 1455 Cara Glen Court.

The WorkSafeBC investigation determined that the guardrail that the worker fell through failed because it was improperly installed and was not connected to other guardrails on either end.

A post-incident inspection found other gaps in the guardrail system

“WorkSafeBC observed additional safety deficiencies at the worksite, and also determined there was a lack of hazard identification and inadequate training and supervision,” said the penalty notice, which noted that a stop-work order was issued after the incident.

The investigation report notes that in the aftermath of the incident, both companies made safety-related changes, including improved documentation, orientation for new workers, weekly site inspections and the completion of online courses.

Photo: RCMP

The townhouse construction project that was the site of the workplace injury.