Worker was overcome by poisonous gas while responding to a sewer blockage
The Saskatchewan town of Kindersley has been fined $125,000 for a worker’s death.
Following a guilty plea on Aug. 13, the employer was also tasked to pay a mandatory $50,000 victim fine surcharge, according to a report from radio station CJWW.
The incident happened on Aug. 30, 2022, when town employee Venezuelan Wilmer Gonzalez was responding to a sewer blockage alongside other members of the public works team at the intersection of 11th Avenue West and 14th Street West in Kindersley.
Gonzales was overcome by poisonous gas when he entered a manhole. Gonzalez succumbed to the lethal atmospheric conditions despite rescue attempts, according to the report.
“The accident was a devastating moment for the entire Town of Kindersley, Wilmer’s coworkers, and most importantly to his family and friends. Losing a colleague, valued friend and family member is not something any employee, employer or family should experience. While the fine imposed today brings an end to the legal proceedings, it is not intended to put a monetary value on a life, nor is it intended to reflect the pain and suffering endured by family and friends,” said Mayor Perkins in the CJWW report.
