Mr. Mike’s Plumbing fined following excavation tragedy in June 2023.
Mr. Mike’s Plumbing Ltd. has been penalized a total of $330,000 after pleading guilty to one count under Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker.
The Crown withdrew 10 other counts.
The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on a water and sewer line construction site in Calgary on June 8, 2023. One worker died after an excavation caved in and buried them.
The court fined the company $115,000, including the victim fine surcharge.
Under a creative sentence, the court also ordered the company to pay $215,000 to the Injury Prevention Centre. The centre will conduct a province-wide safety awareness campaign to empower young workers to recognize hazards, speak up about unsafe work and help prevent workplace injuries through targeted education, industry collaboration and a shared commitment to safer workplaces.
The company and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalty.
This article first appears in OHS Canada, an Annex Business Media publication.