Company also fined for serious incident
Govind Thawani, director of Sterling O & G International Corporation in Winnipeg was fined $12,500 following a trial on Oct. 17, 2017. Thawani was found guilty on section 54(c) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act by knowingly obstructing a safety and health officer engaged in the exercise or performance of his or her powers or duties, by instructing a worker to mislead a safety and health officer engaged in the exercise of his duties.
Sterling O & G International Corporation was also fined $52,650 on Oct. 17, 2017 for a serious incident involving a worker. On July 27, 2012 a Sterling O & G International Corporation worker was seriously injured while assisting in the welding of angle iron to the roof of a building under construction. A boom truck subject to a previously issued stop work order was utilized in the process. The worker fell approximately 20 feet to the ground suffering serious injuries. No fall protection measures were implemented at the time of the incident. The Workplace Safety and Health Branch was notified of the incident three days later via an anonymous phone call.
Following a trial, on Oct. 17, the employer was found guilty on the following;
•Section 4(2)(a) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act to the charge of failing to provide appropriate equipment to manoeuvre and hold the angle iron in place while workers welded it.
•Section 4(1)(b) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act to the charge of failing to comply with a stop work order to cease and not allow workers to use Hiab 150 Boom Truck.
•Section 2.7(1) of the Workplace Safety and Health Regulations to the charge of failing to notify the branch by the fastest means of communication available of a serious incident where a worker suffered serious injuries.
Source: Government of Manitoba
