Alberta company fined more than $75,000 for injuries to two workers

Investigation finds safety procedures weren’t in place; company must cover costs of ambulance and pay fine

An Alberta oilfield company must shell out $70,000 to St. John Ambulance after two of its workers were hurt in an explosion, a provincial judge has ruled.

Gene’s Oilfield Services Ltd. of Standard, Alta., was the subject of a government investigation after a flash fire explosion on Sept. 23, 2003, injured two workers cleaning a trailer tank. The judge ruled proper procedures to ensure the safety of the workers were not in place. The company was charged and fined under the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act and required to cover the cost of St. John Ambulance in responding to the accident. In addition to the payment, Gene’s was fined $5,750 for the violations.

The Alberta government has been increasing penalties for violations of the act with the aim of improving workplace safety in the province, particularly in high-risk workplaces such as the oilfields.

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