Okanagan construction company fined $114K after explosion injured worker

An Okanagan construction company has been fined $114,000 after a propane explosion seriously injured a worker.

According to a recently published May 8 WorkSafeBC penalty notice, Peter’s Bros. Construction was paving a highway in Nakusp when the incident happened.

“The firm’s workers were trying to find a leak in the propane line for the hot-in-place asphalt paving equipment and were using a flame to check for propane leaks, contrary to accepted industry practice,” the WorkSafeBC penalty notice reads. “As one worker lit a torch to ignite a propane burner, an explosion and fire occurred, and the worker sustained serious injuries.”

It’s not clear whether the worker injured was looking for the leak with a flame or it was another member of the crew who was injured.

The penalty notice doesn’t say when the incident took place and issued the Penticton based firm a $114,128 fine.

WorkSafeBC says the firm failed to ensure repair and maintenance of its equipment was done to standard or followed the manufacturer’s instructions.

No other details are given in the penalty notice.

Separately, in 2021, the company was fined $77,630 after a construction worker employed by a subcontractor was killed after concrete fell from an excavator while working at a job site in Dawson Creek.