Crown lays charges against Saint John, N.B. scrapyard following fatal workplace injury

The AIM scrapyard in Saint John, N.B., is pictured in an undated file image. (Nick Moore/CTV)

A scrapyard in Saint John, N.B., is facing four workplace safety charges after a worker died following an injury on the job last summer.

Darrell Richards, 60, died on July 1, 2022 -- a day after he was injured at American Iron and Metal Inc. (AIM).

Following an investigation by WorksafeNB, the Crown charged AIM under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to provide proper protection, training and supervision of Richards’s work.

He was injured while cutting into a roll of paper. As he cut, the roll decompressed -- lacerating his leg and causing bleeding, his daughter-in-law said at a press conference organized by AIM in July.

The first charge against AIM alleges the company did not take every reasonable precaution to ensure the health and safety of Richards. The second alleges AIM failed to train Richards with any hazards in connection with the handling and disposal of equipment.

The third charge alleges the company did not provide the information necessary to ensure Richard’s health and safety. The fourth alleges AIM did not ensure that work was competently supervised and that supervisors had sufficient knowledge in matters that are necessary to ensure the health and safety of the employees.

Each charge carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and/or a maximum of six months in jail.

In the July press conference, AIM president Herbert Black said he couldn’t see what his facility could have done to prevent the death.

When asked who was responsible for safety at the Saint John facility, Black said, “You have to make a connection with the Lord and ask him. He decides. I’m not God.”

In November 2021, an unnamed worker died from injuries sustained at the same location.

Black said the November workplace death occurred when a truck driver tried to exit the vehicle on its right side because the driver’s side door was jammed. Black said a crane operator was sweeping the truck of materials at the same time.

“You want to fault that we’re not doing a professional job after having a million trucks unloaded that way?” Black said at the press conference.

“Accidents happen no matter how much prevention you have.”

CTV News reach out to AIM Friday for a reaction to the charges and was told “no comment,” by a company representative.

AIM is due in provincial court on March 13 to face its charges.