Excavation Contractor Fined After Worker Injured in Trench Collapse
An Alberta excavation company has been ordered to pay a $100,000 penalty following a workplace incident in August 2022 that left an employee injured during a sewer line restoration project.
The Incident and Legal Proceedings
On August 19, 2022, an employee of HCL Site Services Ltd. was working on restoring a sewer line in the town of Viking, Alberta, when a partial trench collapse occurred, resulting in injuries to the worker. The incident prompted an investigation by provincial authorities.
On November 20, 2025, HCL Site Services appeared in the Sherwood Park Court of Justice where the company pleaded guilty to one count of failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker under Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act. As part of the plea agreement, the Crown prosecutor withdrew five additional charges that had been filed against the company.
Penalty and Company Safety Record
The court imposed a total fine of $100,000, which includes a victim fine surcharge. According to information from the company's occupational health and safety records portal, this incident represents the only recorded workplace injury to an HCL Site Services employee between 2019 and 2023.
Both the company and the Crown prosecution have 30 days from the sentencing date to file an appeal of the court's decision. The fine serves as a significant reminder to contractors operating in Alberta about the importance of maintaining proper safety protocols, particularly when working in excavation and trenching operations where collapse risks are well-documented.
