Stelmach plans crackdown on workplace safety
Posted Jul 10, 2010 11:24 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
With the second-highest workplace fatality rate in the country, Premier Ed Stelmach is pledging his government will crackdown on workplace safety in the province.
According to the latest stats, dating back to 2008, Alberta had nine workplace fatalities for every 100-thousand workers, second only to Newfoundland.
By comparison, New Brunswick had an average of four workplace fatalities.
Stelmach tells The Calgary Herald Alberta has hired eight more safety officers bringing the total to 94, and he says there could be more prosecutions as a result.
He notes, talks are underway between the employment and justice ministers about increasing the resources to prosecute safety offenders.
Liberal employment critic Hugh McDonald says he’d like to see the province do random audits of work sites. Currently, businesses are given advance notice about inspections.
