George’s Farm Centre Ltd., as an employer, pleaded guilty on Sept. 19 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 load or any part of powered mobile equipment that created a danger to the worker. The Crown withdrew six other counts.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on the side of a highway in Lacombe County on June 23, 2023. A worker unhitched an air seeder tank from a tractor. The tank rolled back and the worker was seriously injured while attempting to stop it.
Under a creative sentence, the dealership was ordered to pay $108,000 to the University of Calgary to develop hazard-recognition workplace simulation software. This training tool will be adaptable and customizable for multiple work sites.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act provides a creative sentence option in which funds that would otherwise be paid as fines are directed to an organization or project to improve or promote workplace health and safety. 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 failing to follow the rules results in a fatality or serious injury.
Quick facts
- Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration does not provide sentence documents. These are available through the Red Deer Court of Justice.
- Victim fine surcharges apply to fines payable to the Crown. They are not applied to payments to other entities under creative sentences.