Investigators lay safety violation charges in falling death at Halifax job site
By The Canadian Press
Health & SafetyHALIFAX—A foreman and construction company are facing charges under Nova Scotia’s Occupational Health and Safety laws related to the falling death of a young labourer at a Halifax work site.
Halifax police had earlier charged supervisor Jeff Scott Gooch with criminal negligence causing the death of 22-year-old Brandon Alcorn in the March 13, 2018, incident.
Provincial investigators are now also alleging Gooch, 37, and Insulated Panel Structures of Waterdown, Ont., failed to put in place fall protection measures or provide Alcorn with training.
The documents provided by the Nova Scotia Labour Department say the company is charged with failing to ensure necessary fall protection training, failing to have a written fall protocol and failing to ensure fall-protection gear was used.
The summary provided by the department alleges Gooch “failed to take every reasonable precaution to protect the health and safety” of an employee, and didn’t provide necessary fall protection training or ensure the safety gear was used.
Gooch is also accused of knowingly giving an Occupational Health and Safety officer false information two days after the young man fell while working on the roof of a Kent Building Supplies store that was under construction.
His violations allegedly occurred on four different days, including the day Alcorn fell and suffered a fatal head injury.
Gooch is set to appear in Halifax provincial court on Feb. 25, 2020 to face the criminal negligence charges, while the health and safety charges are set for Jan. 28 in provincial court for the foreman and the company.
