Alberta roofer fined C$200,000 after a worker fell through a roof and died during a replacement

The worker crashed through the roof onto the floor beneath on Dec. 11, 2023, according to the Alberta government's record of the conviction. Albatross pleaded guilty as an employer to one count under Section 3(1)(a)(i) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to give its workers protection against falls during work at height. The fine includes the province's 20% victim fine surcharge, and the remaining charges were withdrawn. CTV News reported that the building is on Refinery Row, the refinery district east of Edmonton, and that the sentence came nearly three years after the death.

The prime contractor on the site was sentenced in August. Arbutus Landscaping Inc. pleaded guilty on Aug. 19 under Section 10(7)(a) of the act for failing to set up a system to keep the work site in compliance where people were working at height, including how the employer and its workers cooperate on safety, the province's record shows. Its fine was C$318,000, surcharge included, and its other charges were also withdrawn.

Falls during roof tear-offs have produced similar cases in Alberta. In July 2025, Pacific Rim Industrial Insulations Ltd. was fined C$210,000 and placed on 18 months of stepped-up supervision after a worker removing roofing material in Fort McMurray fell through a roof and died. That count was for not ensuring the worker was tied into travel restraint where a drop of 3 meters or more was possible. Under the OHS Act, a first offense can bring a fine of up to C$500,000 and up to six months in jail per violation.