The Village of Laird in Saskatchewan has been fined $150,000 after it pleaded guilty in court to two violations of the province’s health and safety legislation.
The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on July 19, 2022, in the community when a worker was seriously injured after they were ejected from the seat of a mower and became trapped beneath it.
The Village was fined for contravening subsection 3-6(1) of the regulations (being an employer, fail to ensure that all work at a place of employment is sufficiently and competently supervised, resulting in the serious injury of a worker), as well as contravening clause 11-4(b) of the regulations (being an employer, fail to ensure that if a defect or unsafe condition that may create a hazard to a worker is identified in the powered mobile equipment, steps are taken immediately to protect the health and safety of any worker who may be at risk until the defect is repaired or the unsafe condition is corrected and as soon as is reasonably practicable, the defect is repaired or the unsafe condition is corrected, resulting in the serious injury of a worker).
The Court imposed a fine of $53,571.43 with a surcharge of $21,428.57 for each violation, for a total amount of $150,000.
Two other charges were withdrawn.
