Interior Health Authority has been slapped with a $274K fine after exposing employees at Penticton Regional Hospital to illicit drugs without proper training for how to deal with such a situation.
The fine, issued by WorkSafeBC, was issued this summer and recently published online. In its findings, WorkSafeBC notes that on an unspecified date, a "noxious odour" began emanating from a patient room.
"Two workers entered the room, were exposed to an unknown substance, and became ill. Eight other workers were also treated for exposure," WorksSafe reports.
"WorkSafeBC determined that the employer's safe work procedure for responding to illicit substances had not been adequately communicated to workers, and they had not received training on the process to follow."
The fine reflects that "[Interior Health] failed to implement written procedures to eliminate or minimize the risk of worker exposure to chemical agents that could cause adverse health effects."
While WorkSafeBC declined to confirm whether this specific fine is related to an April incident at PRH, the details match — a noxious odour, staff members falling ill, substance use suspected, and the fact that provided documents show the investigation was initiated one day after that incident, on April 8, 2024.
WorkSafeBC also noted this is a repeated offence for the health authority.
"WorkSafeBC has previously issued orders to Interior Health for incidents at other facilities related to Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 5.2," they wrote in an emailed statement.
Interior Health had previously stated they take the matter seriously.
"It is important to stress that smoking is not permitted on any Interior Health properties and we have protocols in place to keep staff and patients safe when an incident like this occurs," they said in an email.
The hospital is now in compliance with WorkSafeBC guidelines around dealing with illicit drug use by patients as of July, following the initial investigation and multiple follow-ups.
