A land development and management company has been fined $350,000 related to a workplace death.
Delta Land Co. Inc., as an employer, pleaded guilty on June 30 in the Red Deer Court of Justice to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code for permitting a worker to remain within range of a moving part of powered mobile equipment. The company was fined $350,000 including the 20 per cent victim fine surcharge. The Crown withdrew six other counts.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred at a resort development site at Gull Lake on Nov. 8, 2022. A worker died after being caught between the boom and a grounded bucket while performing maintenance on an excavator.
Both the company and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalties.
Alberta’s OHS laws set basic health and safety rules for workplaces across the province. They provide guidance for employers to help them ensure their workplaces are as healthy and safe as possible while providing rights and protections for workers. Charges under OHS laws may be laid when employers fail to follow the rules results in a workplace fatality or serious injury.