'This does not diminish the great loss of Scott Bill and Cole Crooks'
SaskPower has appealed a court’s decision to impose a record $840,000 fine imposed on the Crown corporation last month.
A Weyburn court decided last month that SaskPower should pay the said amount following the deaths of Scott Bill and Cole Crooks.
The incident at Weyburn happened on Oct. 8, 2020, when Scott Bill and Cole Crooks fell 15 feet to their deaths after the bucket they were in tipped.
“Bill and Crooks were both 19 year experienced journeypersons and had been up in a bucket countless times before,” Saskatchewan Judge Michelle R. Brass said in her decision, according to a CTV News report.
“Neither worker had their safety belt lanyards anchored to the ‘D’ ring located in the bucket specifically for the purpose of fall protection.”
Brass found that SaskPower failed to ensure workplace health and safety, fell short on training and supervision and did not have the proper requirement in place for workers to use a personal fall arrest system before being raised in the air.
The employer was also accused of failing to ensure the two men were trained properly on the use of the bucket truck under the Saskatchewan Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, but that was not proven in court.
SaskPower confirmed to CBC that it has filed an appeal in Weyburn.
"This does not diminish the great loss of Scott Bill and Cole Crooks, who were valued members of our SaskPower family," an email from a spokesperson for the Crown corporation said, according to the report.
"Their loss continues to be felt by us all, and our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of these two employees."
Recently, SaskPower was also fined $500,000 plus a surcharge of $200,000 after one worker was electrocuted in the workplace.
