Excerpt from the OH&S Canada magazine (January 2017)
A 61-year-old employee of a business that sells recycled vehicle parts was killed while he was working underneath a truck in east Edmonton on December 29th, 2016.
Lauren Welsh, a spokesperson for the Alberta Ministry of Labour, says the incident occurred at about 4:00 pm at Jasper Auto and Truck Parts Ltd.
A worker was working under a truck chassis when it fell and pinned him,” she reports. Emergency medical services were called to the scene immediately, but the worker was declared dead at the scene.
Occupational health and safety officials from the Ministry of Labour attended the scene. “A stop-work order was issued at the time, but has since been lifted. It was just on the area where the incident occurred,” Welsh adds.
The ministry is investigating the fatality.
A worker at an auto wrecking facility had retrieved a truck chassis from the yard and brought it to the garage to remove a muffler system. Jack stands were placed underneath the rear of the vehicle chassis in order for the work to be done. During the removal process the chassis shifted and fell off of the jack stands pinning the worker underneath. The worker was fatally injured.
Conviction: Jasper Auto Parts (1965) Ltd. pled guilty to Section (15) of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code for failure to ensure that where the OHS Code requires equipment to be approved by a named organization, an employer must use best efforts to ensure that the seal, stamp, logo or similar identifying mark of that organization was on the equipment and legible. They were fined $170,000 inclusive of the 20% Victim Fine Surcharge and placed on 2 years of Corporate Probation. (final report from the government of Alberta website. Date of conviction: July 02, 2020)
My opinion
The province of Alberta seems to be getting the safety message and I am pleased to see that the fine DOES fit the crime! I am going to review more of their decisions and I think a change in my attitude on Alberta Health and Safety is in order.
Good for them!
HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety needs. Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259.
Ensure your workplace is a safe place.
Remember – In Canada, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”
‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.
Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Advanced Level
CEO & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.
More of the same!
Thanks!
More of the same!