HALIFAX – Unifor urges the Crown to uphold all charges levied against Irving Shipbuilding under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, following the company’s guilty plea to the lesser charge of failure to create a safe work procedure or plan for snow removal.
In February 2024, Unifor MWF Local 1 member, Jamie Knight, was tragically killed as a result of a workplace incident. As a result, Irving faced five charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The charges highlighted a failure to operationalize several comprehensive safety measures, including stricter adherence to manufacturer specifications for site machinery and a failure to designate a signaller.
“Every worker has the right to return home safe, healthy, and whole,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “This guilty plea is a reminder that we cannot wait for tragedy to take workplace hazards seriously. Prevention must be the foundation of workplace safety, not a lesson learned after a life is lost.”
In the wake of this tragedy, the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee, Unifor MWF Local 1, and the employer worked together to implement critical safeguards including outsourcing snow removal to specialized third-party contractors and strictly enforced no traffic periods during peak pedestrian time, such as shift changes and pre-lunch windows.
Other changes that have been made to the site include clearly defined walkways, additional stop signs, and traffic mirrors to eliminate blind spots. All members have also been provided with mandatory high-visibility outerwear and a no earbud policy has been enacted.
“We know that in the wake of workplace tragedies, justice delayed is justice denied,” said Unifor Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray. “Unifor pushed to bring this case before the courts quickly to make employer accountability an immediate priority. We remain focused on turning that accountability into action, securing the systemic changes needed to guarantee that every worker returns home safe at the end of their shift.”
In Canada, approximately 1,000 workers die on the job annually. Over 20 years since the passing of the Westray Law, the union continues to call for its rigorous application, asserting that workplace fatalities should trigger more than fines. Prevention is the key to safety, and it requires rigorous enforcement and criminal accountability to ensure employers eliminate hazards at the source, because one worker not returning home is one too many.