Safety coordinator also fined for providing falsified safety committee meeting minutes
Curran & Briggs Ltd., a construction company based in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, pleaded guilty to two offences under the province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act following a welding incident that triggered an explosion and injured an employee in November.
The company failed to ensure adequate precautions were taken during a welding and cutting operation in an area with combustible materials. It also failed to provide all relevant hazard information to the employee. The court has ordered the company to pay a total of $60,000 in fines within 14 days.
A third charge related to the lack of an adequate occupational health and safety program was initially laid but was later stayed.
CBC News reports according to court records, the incident occurred on November 7, 2022, at the company's asphalt plant during the preparation of highly flammable cold-mix asphalt.
While attempting to cover a small hole with a metal patch, an employee triggered an ignition that caused the first explosion. Subsequently, a second blast singed the employee's ear and skin. Fortunately, the employee did not lose consciousness, but emergency crews were called to the scene due to his injuries.
In the aftermath of the incident, Judge Krista MacKay emphasized the importance of preventing such injuries by ensuring proper safety measures. She noted, "Everyone involved needs to understand what can be done to prevent injury. Certainly this didn't happen here, with flammable liquids around a welder."
Curran & Briggs' lawyer, Derek Bondt, says the company took immediate action to enhance its safety practices after the incident. They implemented new protocols and hired a full-time safety coordinator to oversee safety matters.
Tragically, just two days after the incident that led to the court case, another workplace accident occurred at a different Curran & Briggs facility in Cavendish.
The Workers Compensation Board reported this incident resulted in a workplace fatality. The board highlighted the responsibility of employers to provide a safe and healthy workplace and identified a gap in training as a contributing factor to the incident.
In a separate court development related to the same incident, a former employee of Curran & Briggs, Acif Walfield, pleaded guilty to a count under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Walfield, who was the company's safety coordinator at the time, was charged with obstructing an investigating officer of the Workers Compensation Board of P.E.I. by providing falsified safety committee meeting minutes. In court, Walfield took responsibility for his actions, and despite having no previous record, he was fined $5,000.
The case serves as a reminder of the crucial role companies play in ensuring workplace safety and highlights the importance of complying with health and safety regulations to protect employees from harm.
