A local crane and rigging company has been penalized $350,000 related to a workplace fatality.
As an employer, the company pleaded guilty Nov. 9 in the Lethbridge Court of Justice to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety Code for failing to ensure a worker was protected from falling through a hole in a work surface.
All remaining charges were withdrawn. The sentence stems from an incident July 17, 2024, on a building roof east of Coaldale.
A worker died after falling through an opening in the roof, while removing a condenser unit.
The court fined the company $225,000, including the victim fine surcharge.
Under a creative sentence, the court also ordered the company to pay $125,000 in total to the Lethbridge School Division, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, and Palliser School Division to provide fall protection and mobile aerial platform safety training for high school students participating in Registered Apprenticeship Program trades.
The company and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalty.
