Employer failed to ensure that ‘equipment or material that could dislodge or move did not pose a danger to workers’
Alberta employer North West Crane Enterprises Ltd. has been fined $210,000 after one of its workers died on the job.
The incident occurred on Aug. 22, 2022, at a site near Clairmont.
A worker was fatally struck by a boom that was resting on a non-certified pipe stand when the stand collapsed, according to the Alberta government.
The employer pleaded guilty on Sept. 23 in the Grande Prairie Court of Justice to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code for failing to ensure that equipment or material that could dislodge or move did not pose a danger to workers, the provincial government said.
The company was also placed under 18 months of enhanced regulatory supervision.
Both the company and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalties.
The Crown withdrew 10 other counts.
“Alberta’s OHS laws set basic health and safety rules for workplaces across the province. They provide guidance for employers to help them ensure their workplaces are as healthy and safe as possible while providing rights and protections for workers. Charges under OHS laws may be laid when failing to follow the rules results in a fatality or serious injury,” said the Alberta government.
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), employers must:
- Use and follow maintenance checklists that include critical safety components as specified by the manufacturer, professional engineer, and/or your company’s requirements.
- Inspect the crane as often as required - pre-operation, daily, weekly, monthly, annually and/or periodically as specified by the manufacturer.
- Document all findings clearly in the maintenance logbook, including all tests, repairs, modifications, and maintenance.
- Keep the logbook with the crane.
- Have the crane certified by a professional engineer as required, including the structural, mechanical and control systems.
