HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT AND CONTRACTORS CONVICTED OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation, Carmacks Enterprises Ltd. and Tim Gay, an independent truck operator, have each been convicted under the provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations following an incident that caused the death of a worker. A total of $97,600 in fines and victim fine surcharges were levied by the court.

On May 29th, 2002, Ryan Haggard, a 22-year-old employee of Highways and Transportation died after being backed over by a truck spreading gravel. The incident took place approximately 15 kilometres south of Gull Lake on Highway 37.

The Department of Highways, the employer, entered a guilty plea to one count under The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993, in Swift Current Provincial Court on Oct. 26th and was fined $50,000 plus a victim fine surcharge of $15,000. In imposing the sentence the court took into consideration the department's safety management improvements and its commitment to contribute a further $35,000 to the Ryan Haggard Memorial Scholarship Trust established for the Water Resources Engineering Technology Program at SIAST Palliser Campus.

In January 2005, Carmacks Enterprises Ltd., the contractor in charge of the site, entered a guilty plea on a contravention of the regulation requiring sufficient and competent supervision and was fined $25,000, plus a $5,000 victim fine surcharge.

In February 2005, Tim Gay, operator of the truck, pleaded guilty to a contravention of Section five of the Act (general duty of self-employed workers) and was fined $2,000, plus a $600 victim fine surcharge.

"In 2004, more than 14,000 Saskatchewan workers covered by the Workers' Compensation Board suffered a time loss injury or illness," Occupational Health and Safety Division Executive Director Allan Walker said. "That's why we're taking action to enforce standards as part of an overall education and enforcement strategy."

Last year, the Occupational Health and Safety Division investigated 13 work-related fatalities. The division will conduct over 4,500 workplace inspections and provide training to over 4,000 employer and worker representatives on their safety responsibilities this year.

Maximum penalties for an offence that causes the death or serious injury of a worker are $300,000 and two years in jail.

-30-

For More Information, Contact:

Allan Walker Labour Regina Phone: (306) 787-4481