The Newfoundland and Labrador government announced today that four St. John’s construction workers pled guilty to one charge each under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to use fall protection equipment correctly. Two charges against all four employees were laid last month in connection with an inspection in March at a house near Blackmarsh Road in St. John’s.

"While harnesses were being worn, they were not attached to anchorages that would have arrested a fall should it occur," Service NL stated in a press release Tuesday. "The investigation further revealed that the employer had provided the required fall protection training to all four workers. The inspection arose as the result of a complaint from the public, and no incident or injury occurred in this case."

A provincial court imposed fines of $500 each on three of the workers and of $750 on a fourth worker who held supervisory duties.

The workers were originally charged with two offences but the second charge was withdrawn when they pled guilty to the first.

Service NL investigates workplace health and safety incidents, and also includes branches for environmental protection, vehicle registration, driver testing and registering companies, among others.