THREE SASKATCHEWAN COMPANIES PLEAD GUILTY TO OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CHARGES

Three Saskatchewan companies have plead guilty to charges under The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act.

On July 26, 2011, in Moose Jaw Provincial Court, Charles Ward, doing business as Top Line Construction, plead guilty to two counts under the OHS Act, for contraventions related to failure to ensure workers used fall protection equipment and appropriate protective headwear pursuant to sections 116(2)(a) and 91(1) of the OHS regulations. Two other charges against the company were stayed. The court imposed a total fine of $1,200. The charges resulted from a routine workplace inspection by the OHS Division.

Matthew Cumming, doing business as Montana's Contracting plead guilty in Saskatoon Provincial Court on August 4, 2011, to one charge for failure to ensure a worker used fall protection equipment pursuant to section 116(2)(a) of the OHS regulations. The company was charged after a worker was injured when he fell off a roof being shingled on February 20, 2010. Three other charges against the company were stayed. The court imposed a total fine of $2,800.

Henfrey Builders Ltd. also faced total fines of $840 for failure to ensure workers use fall protection equipment. The company plead guilty to the charge on June 24, 2011, in Regina Provincial Court. Two other charges against the company were stayed. The charges resulted from a routine workplace inspection by the OHS Division.

Injuries caused by falls represent almost 13 per cent of all injuries reported in construction. OHS takes a zero tolerance approach to violations of fall protection requirements.

OHS conducts about 4,500 worksite inspections annually to ensure standards are known, understood and enforced.

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For more information, contact:

Charlotte Morrissette
Labour Relations and Workplace Safety
Regina
Phone: 306-787-3716