B.C. construction company fined after falling tree kills worker

WorkSafeBC has fined a construction company after a workplace fatality.

It happened on a forest service road in the Beaton area, east of Revelstoke in B.C.'s West Kootenay.

Crescent Bay Construction was fined $8,995.26 on Jan. 23, notice of which was recently posted to WorkSafeBC's website. However, the watchdog's notice does not say when the incident occurred.

According to the notice, the worker was performing maintenance work on a bridge deck when a tree fell off a cliff face, hitting the employee who then suffered fatal injuries.

"WorkSafeBC's investigation determined the firm did not adequately identify the hazard of dangerous trees or assess the risks they presented to workers," the notice says.

"The firm failed to conduct a dangerous tree assessment by a qualified person before work began and failed to ensure the health and safety of all workers at the worksite, both high-risk violations."

In an email to CBC News, WorkSafeBC said it is in the process of checking the reports for privacy concerns before it could release any more information. 

"It is important to note that no penalty amount or sentence can compensate for the loss of life," the email said.

CBC News reached out to Crescent Bay Construction for comment but did not receive a response before publication deadline.