Company Sentenced for Occupational Health and Safety Violations

The Department of Government Services announced today that Weir�s Construction Limited was sentenced in St. John�s Provincial Court on February 16, 2009, upon pleading guilty to two violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Charges were laid in July 2008 as a result of an accident investigation carried out by the Occupational Health and Safety Branch.

The accident occurred at a quarry alongside the Trans Canada Highway near the Norman�s Cove intersection on August 16, 2006. A worker sustained serious injuries when he became entangled in an asphalt spreader while undertaking maintenance duties on the machine.

The company pled guilty to the charge of failing to maintain the asphalt spreader in safe operating condition, and to the charge of failing to provide the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure the health and safety of its workers.

The plea agreement requires the company to pay fines of $8,000, plus a victim fine surcharge of $1,200. Another provision of the court order is for the company to pay for the attendance of three of its onsite representatives at a two-day supervisor safety course. The remaining three charges against the company were withdrawn.

- 30 -

Media contact:
Vanessa Colman-Sadd
Director of Communications
Department of Government Services
709-729-4860, 682-6593
vanessacolmansadd@gov.nl.ca