Two construction companies, Ihawk Construction Ltd. and Utopia Construction Inc., have been fined $168,000 each following a serious workplace injury incident that occurred on January 2, 2023, at a residential construction site in Calgary.
The penalties were handed down on January 16, in the Calgary Court of Justice.
Ihawk Construction Ltd. pleaded guilty to one charge under Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker.
The Crown withdrew 12 additional charges against the company.
Utopia Construction Inc., the prime contractor on the site, pleaded guilty to failing to establish a system or process to ensure compliance with OHS laws.
Two other charges against Utopia were withdrawn.
The incident involved a worker using an unsecured portable ladder near an uncovered floor opening. The ladder slipped, toppled, and fell through the opening into the basement, resulting in the worker sustaining serious, life-altering injuries.
The Crown also withdrew 13 OHS charges against Rajwinder Kaur as an employer and two charges against Rajwinder Singh as a supervisor.
Alberta’s OHS laws are designed to set basic health and safety rules for workplaces and provide protections for workers. Charges under these laws can be laid when non-compliance leads to a fatality or serious injury.
Both companies and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the convictions or penalties.
