First responder with PTSD
wins appeal for workers'
compensation benefits
Claim originally denied because traumatic
events were expected part of job
BY JEFFREY R. SMITH
A NEW BRUNSWICK first responder has won an appeal for work-
ers' compensation benefits after his initial claim for suffering post-
traumatic disorder (PTSD) was denied.
Jacques Hébert worked as an ambulance attendant with Ambu-
lance New Brunswick, the province's provider of air and land am-
bulance services. As is often the case in such employment, Hébert
Fines reduced, incarceration
overturned after fatal workplace fall
Purpose of penalties for lack of proper fall protection is deterrence,
not financial ruin for small company and its directors: Court
BY JEFFREY R. SMITH
AN ONTARIO small business and
its two directors who were con-
victed of serious safety violations
after a worker fell to his death
have had their fines reduced and
prison sentences overturned by
the Ontario Court of Justice.
Shangar Singh was an em-
ployee of New Mex Canada, an
importer and retailer of furni-
ture and furniture accessories
based in Brampton, Ont. New
Mex's facility included a furni-
ture showroom at the front and
a large warehouse in the back
where furniture was stored.
Singh's job involved unload-
ing boxes containing furniture
Safety Reporter
Canadian
www.safety-reporter.com
December 2017
WORKER DENIED, THEN WINS ONGOING
BENEFITS FOR BACK IMPAIRMENT
Medical opinions pointed to workplace accident
as cause of compression fractures — except
for WSIB's medical consultant pg. 3
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES:
A SUPPORTIVE BUSINESS CASE
pg. 5
Some organizations may have doubts
about the value of occupational health
services, but the numbers don't lie
WORKER FIRED AFTER CO-
WORKER'S ABUSE GETS $13,000
Employer thought it was solving workplace
problems by terminating worker, but didn't
investigate the root of the problem —
workplace abuse and harassment
pg. 6
INSIDE
NEWS BRIEF
Jail time > pg. 4
Credit:
Shutterstock/John99
Traumatic > pg. 2
PM
#40065782
SUNCOR PREVAILS ON
RANDOM DRUG TESTING
CALGARY (CP) — Suncor Energy
has won another victory in a years-
long legal battle over random drug
and alcohol testing at its north-
eastern Alberta oilsands sites.
Suncor started randomly test-
ing staff in safety-sensitive jobs in
2012, but the union representing
3,400 of those workers called it an
infringement of privacy.
An arbitration panel ruled in
favour of Unifor, but that decision
was quashed by the Alberta Court
of Queen's Bench last year.
Unifor appealed, but the Alberta
Court of Appeal has unanimously
dismissed the union's challenge.
The Appeal Court judges say
they agree with the lower court that
the matter should heard by a fresh
arbitration panel.
A Suncor spokeswoman said
the company is pleased because
safety is one of its core values.
But Unifor called the Court of
Appeal decision a gross violation
of workers' rights and vowed to
continue its fight.
"We will take all available action
to fight this abusive policy, includ-
ing a potential motion to seek
leave to appeal to the Supreme
Court of Canada," said Ken Smith,
president of Unifor Local 707A.