Transpave Faces Penalty
in Landmark Workplace Death
CBC News
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/02/27/qc-transpave-0227.html
A Quebec paving stone company could be fined as much as
$100,000 after pleading guilty to criminal negligence
causing the death of an employee.
Transpavé pleaded guilty in December to the charge in
connection with the death of Steve L'Écuyer, 23, who was
crushed by heavy machinery at the company's plant in
Saint-Eustache two years ago.
It's the first time a Canadian company has been held
criminally responsible for a workplace death.
During sentencing arguments, which began Tuesday in St-Jérôme,
both the Crown prosecutor and defence lawyers said the
company should pay a maximum fine of $100,000, arguing
that is appropriate because the business is small and
has improved its safety procedures since L'Écuyer died.
The 23-year-old was crushed by an industrial machine
used to stack concrete blocks at the Transpavé plant in
October 2005.
Investigations by Quebec's Health and Safety Board (CSST)
and provincial police found the company was negligent
when it allowed L'Écuyer to operate the machine with its
motion detector safety mechanism deactivated.
Transpavé has since reviewed safety procedures at its
plant.
The sentence will be handed down March 17.
