Joint investigations by Alberta’s labour ministry were launched after a 14-year-old boy fell nearly four meters from a residential roof in July 2014. The incident occurred in Lacombe. The boy was briefly hospitalized.

A charge of inappropriately employing a person under the age of 15 years has been laid. Additional charges include:

• Failure to keep employment records;
• Failing to ensure the health and safety of the worker;
• Failing to train the worker in fall protection;
• Failing to develop a fall protection plan; and
• Failing to provide the worker with competent, direct supervision.

The charges mark simultaneous prosecutions against an employer under both the Employment Standards Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Fines for contraventions of the Alberta Employment Standards legislation can be up to $100,000 for a corporation or $50,000 for an individual.

Penalties for contraventions of the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Actcan be up to $500,000 and imprisonment for up to six months for a first offence.

The first court appearance for all parties is on December 19, 2014 at 8:30 a.m. at the Red Deer court house.