Syncrude Canada pleads guilty to safety charge, amid broader safety concerns
Syncrude Canada, predominantly owned by Suncor Energy, has agreed to pay $390,000. This comes after a guilty plea to a health and safety charge linked to the death of a worker in June 2021.
The Alberta government announced the settlement, as reported by Reuters. This incident occurred when the worker, operating an excavator for berm construction near Fort McKay, Alberta, tragically drowned after the excavator's bank collapsed into water, submerging the cab.
This case is part of a distressing pattern, with five deaths occurring at oil sands sites operated by Suncor, Canada's second-largest oil producer, from late 2020 to mid-2022.
These incidents have not only led to increased scrutiny from stakeholders, including a push by the activist investment firm Elliot for major changes at Suncor but also resulted in the resignation of Suncor's former CEO, Mark Little.
On April 4, Syncrude admitted guilt to one charge of failing to ensure worker safety, leading to the withdrawal of four additional charges under the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act.
As part of a “creative sentencing” approach, Syncrude's penalty will fund two University of Alberta centers and the Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association to promote safer trenching and excavation work practices.
Meanwhile, Suncor faces another legal challenge concerning the July 2022 death of worker Brandon Nelson in Fort McMurray, where he was fatally injured by equipment dislodged from a crane.
Suncor is currently reviewing these charges, with spokesperson Sneh Seetal acknowledging the company's safety procedures fell short of expectations.
Following these incidents, Suncor's CEO, Rich Kruger, reported in the latest annual report that there have been no deaths or life-threatening injuries in 2023, signaling a potential improvement in safety measures.
