Workers Plead Guilty to Occupational Health and Safety Charges

Service NL announced today that four employees of a St. John’s construction company pled guilty in Provincial Court on May 1, 2012 to a single violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations. The charges resulted from an investigation by the Occupational Health and Safety Branch following an inspection that occurred on March 28, 2012. The charges were laid on April 5, 2012.

The inspection occurred at a house being built near Blackmarsh Road in St. John’s, and involved four individuals working on the roof who were observed by an occupational health and safety officer to be using fall protection equipment incorrectly. Specifically, while harnesses were being worn, they were not attached to anchorages that would have arrested a fall should it occur. The investigation further revealed that the employer had provided the required fall protection training to all four workers. The inspection arose as the result of a complaint from the public, and no incident or injury occurred in this case.

The four workers were each charged with two violations under the act and regulations. Upon entering a guilty plea to one charge, the second charge against each was withdrawn. The pleas were to the charge of failing to use equipment provided for protection in accordance with the instructions for use and the training received.

Fines of $500 were imposed on three of the workers. The larger fine of $750 was imposed on the fourth worker, who also held supervisory duties.

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Media contact:
Hugh Donnan
Director of Communications
Service NL
709-729-4860, 725-6511
hughdonnan@gov.nl.ca 

2012 05 22                                 10:40 a.m.