Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): A workplace accident that claimed the life of an employee has resulted in a $350,000 penalty for an Alberta-based crane and rigging company. Zero Gravity Crane & Rigging Inc. was sentenced in the Lethbridge Court of Justice after admitting to an occupational health and safety violation linked to the fatal incident.
The company entered a guilty plea on November 9 to one charge under Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code. The violation involved failing to ensure that a worker was adequately protected against falling through an opening in a work surface. The incident took place on July 17, 2024, on the roof of a building east of Coaldale, where an employee fell through a roof opening while carrying out the removal of a condenser unit. The worker died as a result of the fall. All other charges against the company were withdrawn following the plea.
As part of the court’s decision, Zero Gravity Crane & Rigging was ordered to pay a $225,000 fine, inclusive of the victim fine surcharge. An additional $125,000 was imposed through a creative sentencing arrangement, with the money to be distributed among Lethbridge School Division, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division and Palliser School Division. The funds will support training in fall protection and the safe operation of mobile aerial platforms for high school students enrolled in trades through the Registered Apprenticeship Program.
Both the company and the Crown have 30 days to challenge the conviction or sentence through an appeal. Alberta’s OHS framework establishes workplace safety obligations for employers and safeguards the rights of employees. Authorities can pursue charges when violations of these requirements contribute to serious workplace injuries or fatalities, underscoring the importance of maintaining proper safety measures at work sites.
