A Burnaby lab was fined nearly $17,000 last month after its employees were exposed to a poinsonous gas in May.
A chemical reaction in a sump caused the release of hydrogen sulfide – also known as sewer gas – at Agat Laboratories Ltd. at 8600 Glenlyon Parkway on May 5, according to WorkSafeBC.
The distinctive rotten eggs smell of the poisonous and flammable gas was first detected by workers in the organics lab area of the building at about 11:30 a.m., according to WorkSafe inspection reports.
There was no directed evacuation of the building, according to WorkSafe, but workers were told they could go home early at 3 p.m.
“The delay in making this determination failed to protect workers, and as a result some workers reported headaches, puking and watery eyes,” states a June 22 report.
An inspection after the incident found the lab wasn’t equipped with monitors to detect H2S levels and didn’t have a plan in place to respond to the release of hazardous chemicals, contrary to the Workers Compensation Act.
WorkSafe called these “high-risk” safety violations.
The inspection found the lab had contravened the act in a number of other areas as well, including not immediately reporting the incident to WorkSafe, not conducting drills to prepare workers for such emergencies, not maintaining first aid records of workers’ symptoms during the incident and not adequately training and instructing workers to ensure their health and safety.
Agat complied with WorkSafe’s orders to fix the problems by the end of June.
Agat Laboratories Ltd. is a Calgary-based company that provides a range of lab services worldwide.
The Burnaby lab offers environment, environmental chemistry and mining geochemistry services.
Health and safety is a high priority for the company, according to its website.
“Through the designation of safety representatives and the implementation of weekly Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) meetings in all laboratories, we ensure that the highest standards of safety are being met,” reads a statement on the website. “These meetings work to maintain our programs for accident prevention, hazard identification, and incident and near-miss reporting.”
