SaskPower to pay $840,000 after workers die in fall from bucket truck
Crown corporation fined after investigation into 2020 incident finds safety procedures were not followed
Company pleads guilty to one count under Occupational Health and Safety Act
Saskatchewan’s Crown-owned electric utility has been fined $840,000 after two of its workers died in a fall from a bucket truck in 2020.
SaskPower pleaded guilty to one count under the province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act in connection with the deaths of Robert John and Dale Fontaine, who were working on a power line near Melville, Sask., when the incident occurred.
An investigation by Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety found that SaskPower failed to ensure the workers were using proper safety equipment and that safety procedures were not being followed.
The company has since implemented a number of new safety measures, including requiring workers to wear full-body harnesses when working in bucket trucks and mandating the use of two-person crews for all work on energized power lines.
In a statement, SaskPower said it is committed to the safety of its workers and that it has taken steps to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
The company said it has also provided support to the families of the two workers who died.
The fine is the largest ever imposed under Saskatchewan’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Background
On July 21, 2020, Robert John and Dale Fontaine were working on a power line near Melville, Sask., when they fell from a bucket truck.
Both workers were killed in the incident.
An investigation by Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety found that SaskPower failed to ensure the workers were using proper safety equipment and that safety procedures were not being followed.
Investigation findings
The investigation found that the workers were not wearing full-body harnesses when they fell from the bucket truck.
The investigation also found that SaskPower did not have a two-person crew requirement for work on energized power lines.
The investigation concluded that SaskPower failed to take reasonable steps to protect the workers from the risk of falling.
Company response
SaskPower has since implemented a number of new safety measures, including requiring workers to wear full-body harnesses when working in bucket trucks and mandating the use of two-person crews for all work on energized power lines.
The company has also provided support to the families of the two workers who died.
Conclusion
The death of Robert John and Dale Fontaine is a tragic reminder of the importance of workplace safety.
SaskPower has taken steps to prevent a similar incident from happening again, but all employers must be vigilant in ensuring that their workers are safe.
