TWO SASKATCHEWAN BUSINESS OWNERS FINED AFTER WORKER KILLED

A Saskatchewan contractor, Clint Farnham of Rock Hard Concrete Finishers, has been found guilty of one count under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act related to a failure to ensure that all work was sufficiently and competently supervised. Farnham was fined $15,600 in Regina Provincial Court.

The conviction related to an incident that occurred near Southey on December 17, 2007. A crew from Rock Hard Concrete Finishers was working under contract for Jeffrey and Donna Wilcocks. A worker made contact with a metal reinforced gas line and was fatally electrocuted. Farnham was acquitted on four other charges relating to this incident.

Jeffery and Donna Wilcocks were also charged in relation to the same incident. Jeffery Wilcocks pleaded guilty to one count under the OHS Act related to failure to ensure that every exposed metal part of portable electrical equipment was supplied through a Class A ground fault circuit interrupter. Wilcocks was fined $8,400. Two other charges against him were stayed. Three charges against Donna Wilcocks were also stayed.

OHS conducts about 4,000 worksite inspections annually to ensure standards are known, understood and enforced and investigates where workers are killed or seriously injured in a work related incident.

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For more information, contact:

Shannon McMillan
Labour Relations and Workplace Safety
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1331