The City of Regina pled guilty and was fined $100,000 for one violation of The Saskatchewan Health and Safety Act, after a City worker sustained significant injuries on the job in December 2020.
According to a statement from the City of Regina, the provincial court decision was handed down on Feb. 8, 2023. Barry Lacey, executive director of financial strategy and sustainability, offered remarks regarding the decision.
“The City of Regina’s top priority is the health and safety of its workers and residents,” said Lacey. “In this case, a City worker suffered significant injuries on the job. This is never acceptable, and the City has acknowledged its responsibility.”
Lacey stated the City didn’t have the right safety practices and policies in place to protect the worker and that employees were allowed to work inside a shipping container to unload heavy bus shelter glass.
“This was too small a space to do the work safely. Due to the limited space in the container, the employee could not move out of the way of the glass as it fell on him, causing significant injuries,” stated Stacey.
The City stated they launched their own investigation and have cooperated with the Occupational Health and Safety investigation. Following this ordeal, the City has implemented new policies and procedures to eliminate health and safety risks in the future.
“Bus shelter glass is now handled by workers in a safe, open space, not inside shipping containers,” stated Stacey. “Training requirements for employees uncrating glass have been revised, and before handling bus shelter glass, employees must now review and sign off on safety procedures.”
The City of Regina extends a public apology to this individual injured on the job, accepts responsibility for the unsafe conditions that led to those injuries, and remains fully committed to protecting the health and safety of its workers.
The former city worker is no longer an employee with the City of Regina based on the individual’s own decision, said Stacey in a city council scrum on Feb. 8, 2023.