Westpower Equipment Ltd. has been ordered to pay a $330,000 fine after pleading guilty to a charge related to a fatal accident at a Calgary job site. The decision was made in the Calgary Court of Justice on April 22.
The company faced one charge under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act for failing to ensure the safety of an employee, while 22 additional charges were dismissed. The incident, which occurred on March 3, 2022, involved a worker fatally injured by a pump cover that detached from an overhead crane.
In addition to the $275,000 fine, the court imposed a 20% victim fine surcharge, bringing the total penalty to $330,000. Both Westpower and the prosecution have a 30-day period to appeal the judgment or the fine imposed.
Alberta’s OHS laws provide a framework intended to safeguard workplace health and safety and outline employer responsibilities to create secure working environments. These regulations also offer specific protections for workers, with severe penalties for non-compliance that results in workplace deaths or serious injuries.
Further details on the case can be accessed through the Calgary Court of Justice, as the department of Jobs, Economy and Trade does not issue sentence documents. Alberta publishes summaries of fatality investigations, which can be found online within 60 to 90 days following the conclusion of court proceedings.
