Contractor charged after Fort McMurray worker killed in fall through roof

A contractor is facing workplace safety charges after a worker died in a fall near Fort McMurray last year. 

According to court documents, Milo Sagmoen was removing construction material from a roof on June 8, 2023, when he fell through the roof to the floor below.

Sagmoen fell more than three metres and sustained fatal injuries.

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

Pacific Rim Industrial Insulations Ltd., Sagmoen's employer, has been charged with four counts under Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The charges, which were laid on Oct. 10, include failing to ensure a worker was protected from falling when working at a height of three metres or more.

According to the charges, Sagmoen was not equipped with an adequate restraint system and was not protected by guardrails.

It is alleged that the company had failed to develop a fall protection plan for its workers, as required by the OHS code.

According to the legislation, employers must ensure that employees are informed of all fall hazards at each work site. Employers must also enforce the use of fall protection systems when employees are at risk. 

The charges have not been proven in court. The first court date is set for Dec. 11 in the Fort McMurray Court of Justice.

In an email to CBC Friday, company officials with Pacific Rim said they won't comment while the case remains before the courts. 

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

Tim Montgomery, group vice-president at Chemtrade, told CBC News on Thursday that Pacific Rim Industrial Insulations Ltd. was employed as a contractor on the Chemtrade plant at the time but the companies are not affiliated.  

The plant was temporarily shut down during the early stages of the investigation and Montgomery issued a statement at the time describing the worker's death as a tragedy. Montgomery has declined to comment further on the investigation.