Next court date set for February
NB Power has requested additional time to review evidence before entering a plea to workplace safety charges against it linked to a fatal accident in January 2023.
The charges relate to an incident on Jan. 17, 2023, in Fundy Albert, when two NB Power workers fell from a pole while working in a wooded area near Albert Mines Road. Colin Hume, 47, of Ritchie, died in the incident, and another worker was injured.
The two were conducting power restoration efforts following a period of freezing rain and snow that had left thousands of New Brunswickers without electricity.
During a provincial court appearance on Monday, defence lawyer Clarence Bennett told the judge that the disclosure of evidence by the Crown involved an extensive amount of material, according to a report from Telegraph-Journal.
“There are thousands of documents,” Bennett said, explaining the need for more preparation time. He initially requested a two-month adjournment, but the court granted a four-week delay. The case is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 3.
After an 18-month investigation, WorkSafeNB filed five charges against the utility in late October under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. NB Power is facing five workplace safety charges, including:
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Failing to provide instruction and training on the safe removal of ice from powerlines.
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Failing to take every reasonable precaution to ensure the health and safety of employees.
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Failing to prepare a written transportation procedure for the transfer of injured or ill employees to the nearest healthcare facility.
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Failing to provide a first-aid kit at the work site.
In November, NB Power spokesperson Dominique Couture, in an email, did not specify how the company plans to proceed.
The utility "has been working with WorkSafeNB throughout their investigation to ensure a comprehensive understanding of all factors involved and to take every possible step to prevent future incidents," Couture said, as COS previously reported.
Couture did not say what, if any, changes NB Power made to its safety procedures after the incident.
The court scheduled the case back in court for Feb. 3.
