Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | October 1, 2025
EDMONTON — Keller Construction Ltd. and Alberta Concrete Pumping Ltd. both pleaded guilty on Sept. 22 in the Vegreville Court of Justice to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) code for failing to ensure equipment was operated at a safe distance from an overhead powerline.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on a construction site near Viking on Nov. 27, 2023. A worker was seriously injured by an arc flash from equipment that moved too close to an overhead powerline, explains a release.
The court fined Keller Construction Ltd. $2,000. Under a creative sentence, the company was also ordered to pay $130,000 to Concrete Alberta to develop an online training course for concrete pump operators.
Alberta Concrete Pumping Ltd. was fined $86,000 including the victim fine surcharge and placed on two years of enhanced regulatory supervision.
The Crown withdrew eight other counts against Keller Construction Ltd. and seven other counts against Alberta Concrete Pumping Ltd.
Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act provides a creative sentence option in which funds that would otherwise be paid as fines are directed to an organization or project to improve or promote workplace health and safety.
Both companies and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal.