Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and a supervisor with Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro have been charged with violations under the Newfoundland and Labrador Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations.

The charges are the result of an investigation by the Occupational Health and Safety Division of the Department of Government Modernization and Service Delivery following a fatal accident which occurred in August 2023 in Holyrood.   

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is charged with:

• Failure to provide and maintain a workplace and the necessary equipment, systems and tools to ensure worker safety.
• Failure to provide the information, instruction, training, supervision and facilities necessary to ensure worker safety.
• Failure to review and revise the occupational health and safety program at least every three years.
• Failure to ensure that the necessary protective clothing and devices were used for worker’s health and safety.
• Failure to ensure that safe work procedures are followed at the workplace.
• Failure to ensure that work procedures promote the safe interaction of workers and their work environment.
• Failure to ensure that personal protective equipment was selected and used in accordance with recognized standards and provide effective protection.
• Failure to ensure that each tool, machine and piece of equipment in the workplace was selected, used and operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and instructions.
• Failure to ensure that, where minimum distances set out in subsection 498(3) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations cannot be maintained, an assurance in writing on a form acceptable to the minister and signed by a representative of the owner of the power system was obtained.

A supervisor with Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is charged with:

• Failure to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all workers under their supervision.

The first appearances at Provincial Court in St. John’s for the company and the supervisor are scheduled for Aug. 21.