Company fined $5,250 for improper asbestos abatement in Coquitlam

A numbered company performing pre-demolition asbestos abatement at a house in Coquitlam has been fined $5,250 after WorkSafeBC identified multiple safety violations, according to an inspection report.

When an inspector arrived at the site in April, they found dirty, punctured bags in a driveway bin. The inspector was told workers had only half-mask respiratory protection, while another person removing waste bags had no respiratory protection. Citing immediate concerns for worker safety, the inspector issued a stop-work order.

Inside the house, the inspector found a makeshift shower arrangement with controls and a drain pan rather than the required shower. The dirty room was one foot deep, used protective suits were piled on the ground, and about 30 sealed asbestos bags were in the basement. Appliances were not covered and the building interior was dry.

The report said a negative-air unit used to filter hazardous fibres had a sharp kink in its exhaust, and the contractor was using old fibreglass insulation as a prefilter. The employer did not sample airborne asbestos fibres to ensure workers were adequately protected, and chose not to conduct air monitoring on the inspection day because of cost.

The inspector concluded the employer did not prevent asbestos dust and debris from spreading or effectively isolate the non-asbestos portion of the house from the work area. All violations had been corrected by a follow-up inspection one month later.