(Canadian Press)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

creative sentencing used

Calgary construction company fined $110,000 for 2021 workplace incident

Feb 6, 2025 | 11:12 AM

Calgary-based Graham Construction has been fined $110,000 related to serious workplace injuries.

Per the Government of Alberta (GoA) on Feb. 6, the company pleaded guilty to one count under the Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Code for failing to ensure that a temporary cover used to protect an opening was clearly marked to indicate the nature of the hazard.

The sentencing took place Jan. 31 in the Calgary Court of Justice, with six other charges under OHS legislation withdrawn, and seven counts each withdrawn against two other Graham-related entities.

The charges stem from an incident at a Calgary construction site on Dec. 10, 2021. The GoA says a worker was on a roof, and plywood that covered an opening had been removed. The worker fell 4.5 metres through the opening, suffering serious injuries.

Of the $110,000 in penalties, $1,000 is a victim fine surcharge, and $109,000 will go to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) to subsidize safety-related construction courses.

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This is made possible through the OHS Act, which provides a creative sentencing option that allows funds to be used to promote workplace health and safety.

Both the company and Crown have 30 days to appeal.

Graham Construction has done significant work in Red Deer, including the 2020-completed $29 million renovation at Bower Place Shopping Centre, the 2021 $16 million maintenance turnaround project at Nova Chemicals’ Joffre plant, the $33 million Red Deer Regional Hospital parkade in 2015, and two projects related to the Red Deer Wastewater Treatment Plant in 2009 and 2011, valued at $12.9 million and $31 million, respectively.