Company Fined After Worker Crushed

Temporary supporting structures must be designed to safely withstand all loads and the only person with the authority to inspect and approve such structures is a professional engineer, according to Saskatchewan’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.

When those rules aren’t met and a worker dies as a result, an offending company must answer for it. Insulation Applicators Ltd. of Regina, SK, has been fined $44,000 after pleading guilty in court to contravening those sections of the OHS Act.

Blake Vance, a 40-year-old old ironworker, died in October 2004 when shoring supporting the roof of the Yorkton Agri-Plex collapsed, pinning him under a roof beam. An investigation revealed that the shoring lacked sufficient bracing and had not been built in accordance with an engineer’s plans.

“These convictions send the message that there are repercussions for employers and workers who fail to comply with occupational health and safety regulations,” said Glennis Bihun, acting director of Saskatchewan’s Occupational Health and Safety Division.