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Alberta company to pay $296K following 2021 workplace fatality

2021 workplace fatality results in fine
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A construction company in Brooks, Alta., has been ordered to pay a sizable fine after it was found guilty of violating Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act.

On March 6, Brooks Asphalt and Aggregate Ltd. pleaded guilty to one charge for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker in connection with a workplace accident from nearly three years ago.

On July 23, 2021, a worker asphyxiated while they were cleaning out a bin with a running conveyor in Newell County.

The company, along with its parent company Smith Group Holdings Ltd., were originally charged with 15 counts under the OHS Act, but last week's ruling saw all other charges against Brooks Asphalt and Aggregate dropped.

The charges against Smith Group Holdings Ltd. were also withdrawn.

As a result of the incident, the company was told to pay $295,000 in penalties plus a $1,000 fine.

Officials say the money will be used to help prevent similar workplace deaths.

"Under a creative sentence, $244,000 will be provided to the Alberta Construction Safety Association to develop a three-dimensional incident re-creation video, a series of learning videos, a toolbox talk resource guide and a safety session open to all industries," officials said in a news release.

The remainder will be given to the Brooks Fire Department to pay for new rescue equipment, the government said.

The company and Crown have 30 days to appeal the sentence, if they wish to do so.

Since 2017, OHS has imposed 42 creative sentences on companies involved in workplace accidents.

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