SASKATOON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FINED FOR SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Wright Construction Western Inc. of Saskatoon has pleaded guilty to two charges under Saskatchewan's Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations and been fined a total of $1,320.

The company pleaded guilty to:

• contravening section 116(2)(a) of the regulations for failure to ensure workers use a fall protection system where a worker may fall three metres or more; and
• contravening section 17(b) of the regulations for failure to ensure that its worksite supervisor had sufficient knowledge of the Act and regulations.

Three additional charges against Wright Construction Western Inc. under the Occupational Health and Safety regulations were stayed in court.

The charges were laid after a proactive routine inspection by an OHS officer at a construction worksite in Saskatoon in October 2008.

OHS conducts approximately 4,000 workplace inspections each year with about 35 per cent of those checks occurring at construction sites. Fatalities and injuries in construction continue to be amongst the highest of any industry in Saskatchewan.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Bill Stovin
Labour Relations and Workplace Safety
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0926
Email: bill.stovin@gov.sk.ca