HVR Construction Ltd. has been fined $95,000 after pleading guilty to violations of Saskatchewan’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020, following an incident that left two workers seriously injured.
The charges relate to an accident on Aug. 23, 2021, near North Battleford, Saskatchewan, where two workers sustained significant injuries when trusses collapsed and fell on them. The court found that HVR Construction Ltd. failed to comply with their legal duties as an employer, specifically the obligation to ensure a safe working environment and proper maintenance of work systems.
The company was fined on two counts of contravening clause 3-1(a) of the regulations, which mandates that employers must, as far as is reasonably practicable, provide a working environment that ensures the health, safety, and welfare of their employees.
For one of the injured workers, the court imposed a fine of $14,285.71, along with a $5,714.29 surcharge. For the other worker, the fine was $53,571.43, with an additional $21,428.57 surcharge. In total, the fines amounted to $95,000.
Two other charges brought against HVR Construction Ltd. were withdrawn as part of the court proceedings.
