SPIRITWOOD — Two workplace injuries, one in November 2021 and another in January 2022, have resulted in $325,000 in penalties to Spiritwood Stockyards (1984) Ltd.
Both incidents occurred near Spiritwood. Nov. 22, 2021 a worker was struck by a gate and seriously injured while attempting to load bulls onto a trailer.
On Jan,26, 2022, a worker was fatally injured while attempting to clear snow off a roof. The worker fell through a fiberglass skylight.
Spiritwood Stockyards pleaded guilty in Spiritwood Provincial Court May 14 to two violations of The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020.
The company was fined for contravening subsection 7-6 (1) of the regulations (being an employer fail where there is a risk of injury to the head of a worker to provide approved industrial protective headwear and require a worker to use it, resulting in the serious injury of a worker), as well as contravening subsection 9-2 (2) of the regulations (being an employer fail to ensure that workers use a fall protection system at a temporary or permanent work area if a worker may fall three metres or more; or there is a possibility of injury if a worker falls less than three metres, resulting in the death of a worker).
The Court imposed a total fine of $232,142.86 with a surcharge of $92,857.14, for a total amount of $325,000.
The Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety works with employers and workers to eliminate workplace injuries and illnesses through education, intervention and enforcement.
