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Company fined $210K after employee killed in fall through roof near Fort McMurray

The conviction stems from the on-the-job death a worker who was fatally injured after falling through a roof at a production facility north of Fort McMurray, Alta., in June 2023.

Milo Sagmoen was fatally injured at a production facility in northern Alberta

A man stands wearing a blue jacket with a yellow X and the words OHS officer on the back of the jacket.
Pacific Rim Industrial Insulation Ltd., Sagmeon's employer, was convicted of an occupational health and safety violation in relation to the incident. The company pleaded guilty to the charge. (Government of Alberta)

A construction contractor has been convicted of a workplace safety violation that resulted in the death of an employee in  northern Alberta in 2023.

According to court documents, the conviction stems from the on-the-job death of Milo Sagmoen, who was fatally injured after falling through a roof at a production facility north of Fort McMurray, Alta., in June 2023.

On Monday, Pacific Rim Industrial Insulation Ltd., Sagmeon's employer, was convicted of an occupational health and safety violation in relation to the incident. The company pleaded guilty to the charge.

It was convicted of failure to ensure a worker used a travel restraint system where they could fall a distance of three metres or more.

The contractor was fined $210,000 and is required to undertake 18 months of enhanced regulatory supervision.

Three other OHS charges against the company related to the death of Sagmoen were withdrawn.

According to OHS legislation, employers must enforce the use of fall protection systems for employees at risk and ensure they are informed of all fall hazards.

CBC News has reached out to Pacific Rim Industrial Insulation Ltd. for comment on the conviction.

The company's website said the contractor specializes in insulation, cladding, and asbestos abatement for sectors including the chemical, oil and natural gas industries.

The incident occurred on a maintenance building at Chemtrade's ammonium sulfate production plant within Syncrude's Mildred Lake site north of Fort McMurray.

A representative from Chemtrade told CBC News that Pacific Rim Industrial Insulation Ltd. was being contracted to work on the facility, but the two companies are not affiliated.

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