Worker slipped and fell into an open utility corridor in the ground
An industrial services company has been fined $132,000 after pleading guilty to a workplace safety violation connected to a serious injury at an Alberta work site, the Alberta government said in a release.
Brock Canada Field Services Ltd. entered its guilty plea on July 30 in the Fort Saskatchewan Court of Justice, admitting to one count under Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker, according to the Alberta government.
The incident
The charge stemmed from an incident on Aug. 10, 2023, at a work site in Redwater involving both Brock Canada Field Services Ltd. and Nutrien (Canada) Holdings ULC, the Alberta government said.
All remaining charges against Brock Canada Field Services Ltd. and Nutrien (Canada) Holdings ULC were withdrawn as part of the case's resolution, the Alberta government said.
The penalty
The Fort Saskatchewan Court of Justice fined Brock Canada Field Services Ltd. $132,000, an amount that includes the mandatory victim fine surcharge, according to the Alberta government.
Brock Canada Field Services Ltd. and the Crown have up to 30 days from the conviction to appeal either the conviction itself or the penalty imposed, the release said.
No additional penalties were reported against Nutrien (Canada) Holdings ULC, as the charges against the company were withdrawn.
Alberta's OHS enforcement framework
"Alberta's OHS laws set basic health and safety rules for workplaces across the province," the Alberta government said in its release, adding that the rules "provide guidance for employers to help them ensure their workplaces are as healthy and safe as possible while providing rights and protections for workers."
The Alberta government said charges under OHS laws "may be laid when failing to follow the rules results in a fatality or serious injury."
