Alberta WHS publishes a list of both Prosecutions and Convictions under the provincial Health and Safety Act. This information is now online on the Employment and Immigration website.

Step 1: Investigation

Occupational Health and Safety or Employment Standards officers investigate worksites following an incident or complaint regarding workplace health, safety or fairness. These investigations typically take several months. If the officers conclude there are variations from the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, or the Employment Standards Code, the file is then shared with Alberta's Crown Prosecutors.

Step 2: Laying charges

If the Crown Prosecutors believe there's a reasonable likelihood of conviction, and it's in the public's interest, charges are laid. These charges must be laid within one year of the incident under the Employment Standards Code, and within two years of the incident under the OHS Act.

Step 3: Conviction and sentencing

Through the court process, an individual or company could be acquitted, found not guilty, or found guilty. If a judge determines the accused is guilty, fines under the OHS Act can be up to $500,000 and/or imprisonment for six months. For an Employment Standards Code offence this could be a fine of up to $100,000 for a company or up to $50,000 for an individual.

Convictions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Employment Standards Code

Charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Employment Standards Code

Investigation Kit

Kit Details (pdf article)

Pricing and Ordering Information