B.C. gas station owners are not doing enough to protect their overnight workers from robberies and violence, according to WorkSafeBC.

For three months, the provincial government agency conducted 366 random late-night inspections of service stations around the province and found that almost all of them were in violation of government safety guidelines.

Maple Ridge gas station attendant Grant De Patie was dragged more than seven kilometres to his death while trying to stop a gas thief last year.
(CBC)

WorkSafeBC found the employers are not providing proper training, supervision or procedures to protect the vulnerable workers.

The inspections were a response to the death last year of Maple Ridge gas station attendant Grant De Patie, 24, who was dragged to his death after trying to stop a gas-and-dash robbery.

His father, Doug De Patie, says it's time for the provincial government to protect young workers with a law requiring everyone to pay before pumping gas at night.

The Maple Ridge service station where the young thief tried to drive off without paying for $12.30 worth of gas.
(CBC)

De Patie says too many gas stations continue to put their workers' lives at risk.

"They did have wages deducted from them for gas and dashes, and their employers do expect them to run out and try to get the plate number, putting themselves at risk," he told CBC News.

"Or they have cameras that view the cash registers, rather than the people fuelling up and doing the gas and dashes."

WorkSafeBC says followup inspections and education are needed to improve the safety of the attendants. But that's not enough for the B.C. Federation of Labour's Angela Schira, who says it's time for stronger measures.

"The board has a legal responsibility that they need to crack down and that gas stations, if they are not complying, should be fined and actually shut down."