On Friday Alberta's employment minister sent a strong message to companies in the province that haven't been held to account on poor safety performance: 'We're coming'.
As he revealed a new plan to crack down on all delinquent companies
in Alberta, Employment Minister Thomas Lukaszuk noted his government would be going after "every one of them". The Alberta government, which has been deeply criticized in the past year for lax enforcement on occupational health and safety (OHS) issues, has failed to collect more than $1.7 million in unpaid fines but has vowed this will change.
Adding to a 10-point plan for improved safety unveiled last summer, Lukaszuk announced four new initiatives to both improve safety across the province and ensure violators are held to account. The new measures include:
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Improving the enforcement system by hiring eight additional safety officers (bringing the total to over 100).
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Formalizing the creative sentencing process to ensure the input of victim's families is considered.
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Reducing work-related diseases by creating an occupational disease secretariat and prevention program.
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Reducing work-related motor vehicle incidents by publishing a safe driving guide for employers and workers.
For companies who have demonstrated lax safety performance, the message is clear: the free ride is over. Now is the time to implement a streamlined safety management system to ensure no safety-related requirements slip through the cracks, reduce injuries, and save lives.
