Released on January 29, 2014
Claude Resources Inc., of Saskatoon pleaded guilty to three charges under occupational health and safety legislation and was fined $24,500 in Saskatoon Provincial Court on January 9, 2014. During the same court proceedings, Claude Resources shift boss Steve Strickland pleaded guilty to one count under occupational health and safety legislation and was fined $2,100.
The company pleaded guilty to:
- contravening section 17 of the regulations (failure to ensure that all work at a place of employment was sufficiently and competently supervised) and was fined $10,000 with a $4,000 surcharge;
- contravening section 377 of the regulations (failure to ensure that appropriate written procedures were provided to a worker who conducts a blasting operation to ensure the safety of the worker and any other person in the vicinity of the blasting operations) and was fined $5,000 with a $2,000 surcharge; and
- contravening section 271 of The Mines Regulations, 2003 (failure to ensure that in the case of a blast initiated by electrical means, that only an approved blasting machine is used) and was fined $2,500 with a $1,000 surcharge.
Steve Strickland pleaded guilty to:
- contravening section 4 of The Occupational Health and Safety Act (failure to take reasonable care to protect his health and safety and the health and safety of other workers who may be affected by his acts or omissions) and was fined $1,500 with a $600 surcharge.
The charges stemmed from a blasting operation that occurred on January 22, 2012 at Laonil Lake. A blast was not initiated in compliance with occupational health and safety legislation, and the concussion from the blast knocked Strickland and another employee to the ground, injuring the employee. Another employee sustained a broken leg when a truck was pushed forward by the blast, pinning him to a wall.
Since April 2013, OHS prosecutions have resulted in 53 convictions with total fines of $413,720.
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For more information, contact:
Shannon McMillan
Labour Relations and Workplace Safety
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0253