West Coast Scaffolding has been fined $350,000 after pleading guilty to a violation of Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act in relation to a worker’s death in June 2022.
The St. Albert Court of Justice issued the sentence on Nov. 4, following an incident in which a worker died after falling from scaffolding while dismantling equipment at a pulp mill near Peace River, Alberta.
The company faced nine charges under OHS legislation, though eight of those charges were withdrawn by the Crown. The remaining charge, to which West Coast Scaffolding Inc. pleaded guilty, involved failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker. The court ordered a “creative sentence,” directing the $350,000 penalty to Athabasca County to support the Caslan Volunteer Fire Department in acquiring new rescue equipment and providing training.
The fatal incident occurred on June 11, 2022, when the worker fell from a significant height during dismantling operations, sustaining fatal injuries. Alberta’s OHS laws, which establish minimum health and safety standards in workplaces across the province, allow for such penalties when an employer’s failure to adhere to these standards results in death or serious injury.
A “creative sentence” under the OHS Act enables funds that would typically be allocated to fines to be redirected to non-profit organizations, benefiting workplace health and safety initiatives. In this case, the funds are designated for Caslan Volunteer Fire Department’s rescue training and equipment, underscoring the Act’s emphasis on community-based safety improvements.
