City of Regina fined $100,000 after employee pinned inside shipping container by crate of glass

The City of Regina has been fined $100,000 after a 3,000 pound crate of bus shelter glass fell against an employee, pinning them inside a shipping container.

The incident happened Dec. 18, 2020, and seriously injured the employee, who no longer works for the city.

The City of Regina pleaded guilty in Provincial Court on Feb. 8, 2023,to one violation of Occupational Health and Safety regulations in response to the incident. The court fined the city $71,428 and added a surcharge of $28,571, bringing the total to $100,000.

According to Barry Lacey, executive director for financial strategy and sustainability with the City of Regina, the employee was working inside a shipping container unloading the glass and was unable to escape when the glass shifted.

"One of the new processes we put in place is that when the glass is unpacked, it's done in a safe and open area," Lacey said.

Lacey would not say how seriously the employee was injured, citing health privacy.