OHS Fines Scorecard for 2024 (November 14 to December 15)

After a dramatic 4 weeks from mid-October to mid-November, 2024 seems to be coming to a quiet conclusion. Reported OHS fines between November 14 to December 15 were down sharply in terms of both fine volume and fine amounts. There were only 9 significant OHS fines reported during the period, tied for the fewest of the year. Those fines came from only 3 provinces.

In a year where fines totaling $200,000 or more have become so common, the biggest fine of the period was surprisingly only $152,309. However, 4 of the reported 9 fines were in the 6-figure range, which is consistent with the pattern for the year where nearly 1 in every 2 reported OHS fine is at least $100,000.

Table 1. OHS Fines in 2024 At A Glance (through December 15)

Period Total Reported Fines Reported 6-Figure Fines
Jan to mid-Feb 11 6
Mid-Feb to mid-March 11 4
Mid-March to mid-April 10 2
Mid-April to mid-May 12 9
Mid-May to mid-June 12 5
Mid-June to mid-July 10 4
Mid-July to mid-August 14 6
Mid-August to mid-September 12 4
Mid-September to mid-October 9 4
Mid-October to mid-November 19 11
Mid-November to mid-December 9 4
Total 129 59

Source: Bongarde

6-Figure OHS Fines

Of the 4 6-figure OHS fines reported in Canada during the mid-November to mid-December period, 3 came from B.C., including the top fine of $152,309 against a mushroom farm operator for a repeat violation of failing to ensure that there was a qualified first aid attendant at the growing site. B.C. also reported the second and third biggest fines of the period: $132,369 against a recreational services firm for a fatal forklift tip over and $105,078 against a spa operator for failing to comply with previously issued OHS orders. Saskatchewan, which last month reported the biggest OHS fine of 2024 (and provincial history), accounted for the only other 6-figure fine of the period.

Table 2. Top 7 OHS Fines of 2024 At A Glance (through December 15)

Fine Amount Province Type of Company/Incident
1 $840,000 Saskatchewan Power company/3 OHS violations resulting in fatal fall of 2 workers from a bucket truck.
2 $783,068 British Columbia Smelting facility/Fatal fall during overhead crane inspection.
3 $710,488 British Columbia Shipyard/Confined space asphyxiation.
4 $700,000 Saskatchewan Power company/Exposure to energized electrical conductor resulting in serious injuries.
5 $600,000 Ontario Truck manufacturer/Explosion during handling of flammables resulting in 6 fatalities.
6 $420,000 Alberta Contractor/Powered mobile equipment fatality.
7 $391,534 British Columbia Lumber company/Repeat violations not connected to a specific incident.

Source: Bongarde

Ontario continues to lead the nation in 6-figure OHS fines reported in 2024 with 17, but only one of those fines is on the list of 10 biggest fines nationwide. Although B.C. has dished out 2 fewer fines in the 6 figures with 15, it has accounted for 3 of the year’s top 7. Similarly, while Alberta has imposed far fewer overall fines than Ontario and B.C., 13 of them have been for $100,000 or more, including the sixth highest OHS fine of 2024. Saskatchewan has had the greatest per capita enforcement impact with 9 reported OHS fines of $100,000 or more, including the year’s biggest and fourth biggest. Northwest Territories and Nunavut haven’t handed out many fines but the ones they have levied have made an impact with 3 in the 6-figure range. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are the only other jurisdictions that have reported 6-figure OHS fines in 2024.

Table 3. 6-Figures OHS Fines in 2024 By Jurisdiction (through December 15)

Jurisdiction Reported 6-Figure Fines in 2024
1 Ontario 17
2 Alberta 13
3 British Columbia 12
4 Saskatchewan 8
5 Northwest Territories 2
6 Nova Scotia 1
6 New Brunswick 1
6 Nunavut 1

Source: Bongarde

Overall OHS Fines

In terms of fine volume, B.C. handed out the most fines of the period with 4. Ontario reported 3 OHS fines but at relatively low amounts. Saskatchewan accounted for the remaining 2 of this month’s reported 9 fines.

Table 3. OHS Fines Reported November 14, 2024 to December 15, 2024* (over $25,000)

Jurisdiction Fine Company What Happened Violation(s)
BC $152,309 Highline Mushrooms West Limited OHS inspectors determine that mushroom farm operation didn’t have a qualified first aid attendant at its growing site, a repeat violation. Failure to ensure it provided first aid attendants and services adequate for promptly rendering first aid to workers.
BC $132,369 Cypress Bowl ULC/Cypress Bowl Recreations Limited Partnership Forklift operator is killed after leaving the cab to check the load when the forklift tips and falls on them. Failure to ensure that:

  • Equipment was capable of functioning safely.
  • Workers received adequate operator training for lift trucks.
  • Workers received the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety.
BC $105,078 Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa Corp. WorkSafeBC issues OHS orders for health and safety deficiencies, including noise measurement, heat stress, and asbestos inventorying. Failure to comply with OHS orders after a reasonable period.
SK $100,000 Rite Way Mfg. Co. Ltd. Farm equipment plant worker suffers serious injury after getting struck by a suspended piece of metal. Failure to ensure that lifting devices, including all rigging, are safely designed, constructed, installed, maintained, and operated.
SK $84,000 Kevin’s Custom Ag Ltd. Worker dies of carbon monoxide exposure while using a sandblaster. Failure to provide and maintain approved blasting hoods supplied with clean air at a reasonable temperature for workers engaged in abrasive blasting, resulting in a worker’s death.
ON $79,500 Saputo Dairy Products Canada GP Dairy worker suffers serious injury while attempting to clean waste cheese particles out of a groove in a moving conveyor drive roller. Failure to ensure conveyor was properly guarded.
ON $60,000 General Coach Canada Worker suffers critical injury while cutting a piece of melamine with a table saw that wasn’t equipped with required guards. Failure to ensure that the panel saw was equipped with the protective shield that goes over the saw blade to prevent inadvertent blade contact.
ON $50,000 Inject Tech Plastics Worker operating a lift truck backs into industrial racking and suffers critical injury. Failure to ailing to provide proper training and supervision on the safe operation of lift trucks.
BC $42,173 Secure Energy Inc. & Secure Energy Services Inc. et al. Two workers injured in explosion inside a shaker building at a facility that accepts oilfield waste from oil producers. Failure to:

  • Assess the risks of the work activities.
  • Implement safe work procedures for hot work.
  • Have a qualified person conduct safety tests to ensure the safety of workers before welding near flammable or explosive substances.

* BC OHS fines get reported a month late but are included in the most recent period to ensure continuity and consistency for comparison purposes across all provinces.

Source: Bongarde