After a tragic safety incident occurred on October 8, 2020, two powerline technicians employed by SaskPower died. The victims of the incident were Cole Crooks (40) and Scott Bill (51). 

A trial is set to begin at 9:30 am on Monday, May 1 at the Weyburn Courthouse with Occupational Health and Safety as the Plaintiff and Saskatchewan Power Corporation as the defendant.

According to the information provided to Discover Weyburn the following four charges are pending against the crown corporation. 

1.      Being an employer at a place of employment, fail to provide and maintain plant, systems of work, and working environments that ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare at work of the employer’s workers as required by section 12(a) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996 resulting in the deaths of workers Scott Bill and Cole Crooks contrary to subsections 3-78(g) and 3-79 of The Saskatchewan Employment Act. 

  

2.      Being an employer at a place of employment, fail to provide any information, instruction, training, and supervision that is necessary to protect the health and safety of workers at work as required by section 12(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996, resulting in the deaths of workers Scott Bill and Cole Crooks, contrary to subsections 3-78(g) and 3-79 of The Saskatchewan Employment Act. 

  

3.      Being an employer, require or permit a worker to be raised or lowered by any aerial device or elevating work platform or to work from a device or platform held in an elevated position unless the worker is provided with and is required to use a personal fall arrest system that meets the requirements of Part VII as required by section 192(2)(h)  of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996 resulting in the deaths of workers Scott Bill and Cole Crooks contrary to subsections 3-78(g) and 3-79 of The Saskatchewan Employment Act. 

  

4.      Being an employer, fail to ensure that a worker who operates an aerial device or elevating work platform is trained to operate the device or platform safely; and the training includes the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations, the load limitations, the proper use of all controls and any limitations on the surfaces on which the device or platform is designed to be used as required by section 192(5) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996 resulting in the deaths of workers Scott Bill and Cole Crooks contrary to subsections 3-78(g) and 3-79 of The Saskatchewan Employment Act. 

 

The trial is expected to run for five days until May 5.