Worker seriously injured after clamp hits them on the leg
Oil and gas sector employers Steel View Energy and Industrial Services LTD and Strathcona Resources LTD have been fined in relation to a 2022 incident that led to a serious injury to a worker.
Steel View Energy has been fined $55,000, while Strathcona Resources has been fined $85,000 for their roles in the safety failures, according to a report from WestCentralOnline.
The incident happened on-site near Major, Saskatchewan in December 2022, when Steel View, contracted by Strathcona Resources to replace broken rods at the well site, was performing routine maintenance.
The bolts holding an injection clamp in place sheared off. It caused the clamp to be a projectile that struck a worker in the leg, according to the report.
The worker was seriously injured in the incident.
“The injured worker was immediately rushed to Provost, Alberta Hospital, where he spent over 72 hours under medical care,” according to the report.
According to an investigation, the risk of bolt shearing on the injection clamp was a known safety issue, and Strathcona Resources had implemented a policy requiring the injection clamp to be removed, rather than simply loosened.
However, the protocol was not communicated to Steel View.
“As a result of the injury, the worker continues to experience significant, lifelong complications with his leg,” WestCentralOnline reported. “Despite the severity of his injuries, he remains employed by Steel View in a light-duty role and is currently being trained for a new position focused on safety within the company.”
