Government of Alberta | A forest products company has been penalised $355,000 related to a workplace fatality.
Weyerhaeuser Company Limited, as an employer, pleaded guilty in the Grande Prairie Court of Justice to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker. The Crown withdrew 12 other counts.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred at a lumber mill near Grande Prairie on 18 November 2023.
A worker died after using a pike pole to clear an obstruction from a machine. The pole ejected from the machine and struck the worker.
Under a creative sentence, the court ordered the company to pay $355,000 to Northwestern Polytechnic to develop the Northern Industrial Safety Pathways Program. It will provide structured training and tuition support for new and inexperienced workers in the forestry, oil and gas, manufacturing, mining, and agriculture sectors.
The company and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalty.
