‘Our thoughts continue to be with Gary’s family’
The Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board has fined Home Hardware $5,000 after an employee died in the store’s warehouse last year.
The Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board has fined Home Hardware $5,000 after an employee died in the store’s warehouse last year.
There was insufficient worker training and orientation at the Whitehorse store, and the employer failed to have a working health and safety management program in place, the board found after an investigation into Gary Martin’s death.
Martin, 55, was found unconscious in the warehouse by a supervisor on April 10, 2014.
Occupational Health and Safety investigators determined he was retrieving a case of drywall compound from a top shelf when the ladder he was using collapsed.
No one witnessed the incident.
By analyzing evidence at the scene and damage to the ladder, investigators determined “Martin was standing on or near the top of the ladder and was probably reaching to the right with his arms extended, which caused the ladder to kick out to the left from underneath him,” the board said in a press release Monday.
Martin was taken to Whitehorse General Hospital with a serious skull fracture, then medevaced to Vancouver.
He died April 11.
“Our thoughts continue to be with Gary’s family on the anniversary of his death,” Patti Smith, the store’s Victoria-based co-owner, said today.
“We continue to work very closely with Occupational Health and Safety to ensure we have a safe and healthy work environment. We’re happy that (the Department of) Justice found no grounds for any charges to be laid.”
Smith would not provide specific details about any new practices introduced since Martin’s death.
Home Hardware’s store manager was unavailable for comment this morning.
After Martin’s death, Home Hardware provided grief counselling for staff.
Because Martin worked in the paint department, they donated money from paint can sales to the man’s family.
Smith said the store hasn’t decided if it will appeal the fine.
An employer may appeal within 21 days of receiving an order from the health and safety board.
Others, including a worker or their family, can request a review of a board decision or order.
“The dollar value of a penalty does not and cannot reflect the loss of life and the pain and suffering of workers and families,” the health and safety board stated.
Comments (3)
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Ted Parkinson on Jun 17, 2021 at 6:07 am
I grew up with Gary in Whitehorse. He was nice guy, lived in PEI for a while, had returned to Whitehorse and embarked on a new(ish) relationship and seemed primed to be happy in his last dozen years before retirement. Even six years later it is sad to read this.
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nope on Apr 15, 2015 at 12:49 pm
According to my scientific calculations this will cost them exactly 7.3 TFW's. No biggie.
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Bernie Evans on Apr 15, 2015 at 3:36 am
The Health and Safety board is correct in stating that the dollar value doesn't reflect the loss of life, etc. What is more important here now is that the current ownership and management, perhaps under the supervision of the Yukon Health and Safety Board, put there heads together and formulate a safety plan for employees and then submit it to the board for approval. Then the board should do follow up inspections or audits to ensure the safety policies are implemented and enforced. Maybe then tragedies such as this can be prevented in the future!