Two Saskatchewan companies fined for workplace worker safety violations

Both employers pleaded guilty to the violations

Two Saskatchewan companies fined for workplace worker safety violations
Two firms fined for worker injury and fatality.

Two Saskatchewan companies have been fined a total of $131,000 for separate violations of The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996.

7262265 Manitoba – operating as Matt Reimer Construction – pleaded guilty in Saskatoon Provincial Court on Oct. 5 to violating one count of contravening subsection 201(1) of the regulations or, being an employer, failing to ensure that every hoist, crane and lifting device, including all rigging, used at a place of employment is designed, constructed, installed, maintained and operated to perform safely any task for which the hoist, crane, lifting device or rigging is used.

The charge resulted from an incident on May 9, 2019, near Plenty, Saskatchewan, when a worker was struck by a steel tube of a lifting device, resulting in the death of the worker.

The company was fined $65,000 with a surcharge of $26,000, for a total of $91,000. Two additional charges were withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Spade Oilfield – operating as Thiessen Oilfield Services – pleaded guilty in Kindersley Provincial Court on May 7, 2020 to one count of contravening clause 12(c) of the regulations or, being an employer, failing to provide any information, instruction, training and supervision that is necessary to protect the health and safety of workers at work.

The charge resulted from an incident that occurred on July 6, 2018, on a worksite near Coleville, Saskatchewan, when a worker was seriously injured when they were struck by a hose coupler.

The incident resulted in the serious injury of a worker.

The company was fined $28,571.43 plus a surcharge of $11,428.57, totalling $40,000.

Recently, AGF Rebar Inc. was fined a total of $95,000 while its supervisor was fined $2,000 for separate incidents that led to worker injuries. Also, Aecon Construction Ontario East Limited was fined $90,000 after pleading guilty to violations after one worker suffered critical injuries after contact with a reversing bulldozer.

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