July to Sept 2011 Enforcement Actions

Summary of Enforcement Activity

The BC Safety Authority took 52 enforcement actions between July 1 and September 30, 2011. Safety officers and safety managers issued 46 compliance orders, imposed 6 monetary penalties.

Table 1: Q3 Summary of Enforcement Actions*
Compliance Order46
Suspended Authorization and Permit Privileges0
Suspended Authorization Privileges0
Suspended Permit Privileges0
Revocation of a Contractor's Licence0
Suspension of a Contractor's Licence0
Revocation of a Certificate of Qualification0
Suspension of a Certificate of Qualification0
Monetary Penalty6
Total Number of Enforcement Actions in Q3:52

* Railway statistics have not been included in the figures presented.

Compliance Orders

A compliance order is a written document issued by a safety officer or safety manager requiring that a person take action, stop, and/or modify their regulated work or use of a regulated product in accordance with safety standards and legislation.

Approximately 68% of Q3 compliance orders were issued for performing regulated work without the required permissions.

Table 2: Compliance Orders Issued in Q3 2011 by Technology
Electrical31
Gas9
Elevating Devices5
Passenger Ropeways0
Boiler, Pressure Vessels and Refrigeration0
Amusement Rides1
Total Number of Compliance Orders Issued:46

Monetary Penalties

The Electrical Safety Manager and the Gas Safety Manager each imposed three monetary penalties in their respective technologies in Q3, 2011.

Company: Individual
Technology: Gas
Amount: $1,000
Date of penalty: Q3
Summary: A monetary penalty in the amount of $1,000 imposed on an individual for failing to comply with a compliance order. The compliance order, issued in March 2011, required the individual to stop performing regulated work without a valid permission.

Company: Vancouver Punjab Cloth House Inc.
Technology: Gas
Amount: n/a
Date of penalty: Q3
Summary: A monetary penalty was imposed on Vancouver Punjab Cloth House Inc for each day they failed to comply with a compliance order. The duty holder complied before the effective date of the monetary penalty.

The third monetary penalty in the gas technology is under appeal.

Company: Northern BC Fire Protection Services, A Div. of McGregor’s Garage & Propane Centre Ltd.
Technology: Electrical
Amount: n/a
Date of penalty: Q3
Summary: A monetary penalty was imposed onto for each day it failed to comply with a compliance order. The duty holder complied before the effective date of the monetary penalty.

Company: Allpro Electrical Inc.
Technology: Electrical
Amount: $750
Date of penalty: Q3
Summary: The Electrical Safety Regulation requires permit holders to request an inspection within 180 days after a permit is issued. If extra time is required to complete the installation, the permit holder must have the permit amended or it expires. Allpro Electrical Inc repeatedly allowed permits to expire and a $750 monetary penalty was imposed.

The third monetary penalty in the electrical technology remains unresolved.

Notes:

  1. Provincial legislation restricts the information that may be published with respect to individuals. Accordingly, the BC Safety Authority may provide descriptions of enforcement actions taken against individuals but will only identify corporate entities by name.
  2. In order to appreciate enforcement actions in the broader perspective of the safety system, please refer to the 2010 State of Safety Report.

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