Two companies fined for non-compliance in Saskatchewan

The province of Sakatchewan has fined two companies after both pled guilty to violating Occupational Health and Safety Regulations in provincial court.

Two companies have pled guilty to charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations in Saskatchewan's Provincial Court, according to a statement released by the provincial government.

Johnston Bros. (Binscarth) Ltd., a Manitoba-based company, was charged after a worker was injured when the scraper he was driving collided with another scraper in October 2008 near Lake Lenore. The company was fined a total of $3,380 for failure to ensure that a worker was trained in all matters required to protect the health and safety of the worker, and failure to notify Occupational Health and Safety as soon as reasonably possible of a dangerous occurrence.

Three additional charges against Johnston Bros. were stayed in court.

In another incident, charges were laid against G.R.W. Contracting Ltd., following a routine occupational health and safety (OHS) inspection of a worksite in Prince Albert. The occupational health officer observed workers of a company under contract to G.R.W. Contracting Ltd., were on scaffolds and roofs of a new condominium development without fall protection. A stop work order was issued.

G.R.W. Contracting Ltd. pled guilty to failing to develop and implement a written fall protection plan and was fined $310. One additional charge against the company was stayed.

The Saskatchewan's OHS Division 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, the province said.