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A Calgary building and interior materials supplier has been fined $350,000 for a 2023 workplace fatality that friends and loved ones described at the time as troubling to comprehend.
The province announced Tuesday that LX Hausys Canada Inc. pleaded guilty on May 28 to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker; the Crown withdrew 14 other counts.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred at the company’s Calgary warehouse on Sept. 19, 2023.
Jeff Cho was helping move marble slabs with a forklift when the slabs dislodged and crushed him.
Cho’s friends and loved ones told Global News at the time they wanted answers as to what went wrong.
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Two former LX Hausys employees — Sunny Sandhu and Mario Mareno — told Global News they had witnessed and documented numerous safety violations over the years, including a lack of protective equipment and little to no certification for those working on or near equipment.
Mareno said he warned his bosses about his concerns with Cho’s training.
An email exchange dated July 13 between an HR manager and a supervisor said Mareno was to stay on with the warehouse until Cho got used to his work. The supervisor suspects it would take about a month for Cho to get used to the job.
Cellphone video taken by Mareno showed what he believes is too many marble slabs for A-frame pallets. According to former employees, the slabs weigh hundreds of pounds each.
Another video taken inside the warehouse showed stacks of product exceeding height limits suggested by one of the former workers.
The men provided two videos of a man who they said is a supervisor with the company walking in the warehouse and in the yard near the forklift with flip-flops on his feet.
The province said Tuesday the company has been ordered to pay $350,000 to the Manufacturers’ Health and Safety Association to develop “portable virtual reality forklift simulators” to enhance operator training.
“The association will also partner with Alberta Workforce Essential Skills to develop and provide workplace safety training for English language learners,” it said in a statement.
The company and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalty.
— with files from Elissa Carpenter
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