South Okanagan fruit packer fined $19,000 for broken seatbelt on tractor

An Okanagan fruit packer has been fined $19,000 after one of its tractors was found driving on the shoulder of a highway with a broken seatbelt.

According to a Sept. 30 WorkSafeBC decision, Oliver-based Okanagan Sunshine Fruit Packers was issued a fine of $19,449 for various infractions related to the safety of one of its tractors.

The decision said WorkSafeBC saw an orchard worker driving the tractor along the shoulder of a highway with the tractor's rollover protective structure in a lowered position.

WorkSafeBC also found the tractor had a broken seatbelt and that it had not been inspected before its use as required.

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"The firm failed to ensure its mobile equipment was used with a rollover protective structure, a high-risk violation," the decision read. "The firm also failed to ensure its equipment had a functioning lap belt, and failed to ensure operators conducted pre-use inspections and reported any defects."

"These were all repeated violations," WorkSafeBC said.

No other details are given in the decision.

In July, a Thompson area ranch was fined $27,000 after WorkSafeBC found a tractor didn't have a seatbelt, and rollover protective structure was damaged.

READ MORE: Thompson ranch fined $27K for not having a seat belt on a tractor

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