Watch out for employees

Federal law now makes it possible for company and organizational representatives, including directors and officers of corporations, to be charged with criminal negligence for someone hurt on the job. This fall the federal government passed Bill-C45, an amendment to the Criminal Code, which says: “everyone who undertakes, or has the authority, to direct how another person does work or performs a task is under a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to that person, or any other person, arising from that work or task.” The Bill was drawn up in response to the Westray Mining accident of 1992. The penalty for criminal negligence causing death can mean life imprisoment, and for causing bodily harm it can mean prison for 10 years.