The BC Workers’ Compensation Board has penalized Teck Cominco Metals Ltd. $270,000 for failing to protect workers from exposure to thallium, a toxic metal. After an extensive investigation, the Board found that Teck Cominco Ltd., and contractors it hired to conduct repair and maintenance work, failed to ensure the health and safety of their workers. The failures included inadequate training of workers, ineffective decontamination procedures and inadequate hazard controls. These failures led to a number of workers being exposed to thallium. The penalty amount will be applied towards two new intitiatives by the Board. One will involve long-term monitoring of the workers who were exposed to thallium and the other will address health effects from exposure to heavy metals.
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