Sommer Green Forages fined $70K for 2019 Saskatchewan workplace death

A Saskatoon company has pleaded guilty for violating a count under Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, resulting in the death of one of its workers.

On Oct. 25, 2019, a Sommer Green Forages employee died after getting entangled while clearing the teeth on the roller of a baler near Broderick, Sask.

Sommer Green Forages was charged with contravening subsection 139(1) of the regulations, which states: “Being an employer, failed to ensure that before a worker undertakes the maintenance, repair, test or adjustment of machine other than a power tool, the machine is locked out and remains locked out during that activity if not doing so would put the worker at risk, resulting in the death of a worker.”

The company was fined $50,000 plus a $20,000 surcharge. Three other charges were stayed.

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