Regina-The Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice and Attorney General on Jan. 7 announced charges against PotashCorp and supervisor Garth Gudnason for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Legislation violations related to the September 2008 death of worker Robert Tkach, 61, (GM Sept. 15, 2008) at the Lanigan mine. PotashCorp is charged for failure of its supervisor to take reasonable care to protect the health and safety of a worker; failure to ensure the health, safety, and welfare at work of all the employer’s workers; failure to ensure that all work is sufficiently and competently supervised; failure to ensure that a supervisor complies with the OHS Act and regulations; and failure to ensure a direct supervisor record all significant information relevant to the health and safety of a worker. Gudnason is charged with failure to take reasonable care to protect the health and safety of a worker who may be affected by his acts or omissions. PotashCorp could not comment specifically about the case, but did say that it fully cooperated with the investigation and that mine safety is a number one priority. It said it reviewed the OHS recommendations and fully complied with them. PotashCorp was cited in late 2008 for contravening six health and safety regulations of the OHS Act due to the underground jeep accident that killed Tkach (GM Dec. 8, 2008). Among those items identified were lack of training, a failure to mark hazards, and seat belt use. Potential penalties under the just-announced charges include fines of up to $300,000 and two years in jail, according to the Canadian press.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain