Camrose murder demands OH&S investigation: AUPE
EDMONTON – Comments by Alberta Occupational Health and Safety suggesting the tragic weekend murder of a Camrose caregiver may not be investigated by the province drew outrage from AUPE President Guy Smith.
“When a worker is killed on the job, Alberta OH&S should automatically conduct an investigation,” said Smith. “I am completely shocked that the province is suggesting this is an optional procedure. The job of the police will focus on criminal culpability, which is completely different than investigating the safety of a workplace.”
“The only way to ensure this caregiver’s death was not in vain is to investigate what happened to prevent another tragedy in the future,” he said. “I can’t believe the province would even suggest that it not be done.”
Smith was responding to comments an Alberta Occupational Health and Safety spokesman made to CBC.
AUPE OH&S Representative Dennis Malayko agreed with Smith.
“Wherever there’s a death, an OH&S investigation should follow automatically, and the report should be made public. Making the investigations public isn’t just important to hold employers to account, but to empower employees to know when they are being put into an unsafe work situation,” said Malayko.
“Arresting the murderer won’t tell us if the victim had access to an emergency contact, if she was working alone in an unsafe setting, or if the client was incorrectly placed with the agency she worked for,” he said.
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For more information, contact:
Guy Smith, President, AUPE – 780-930-3301 or 780-265-2294 (cell)
Dennis Malayko, OH&S Representative, AUPE – 780-910-0805 (cell)
Mark Wells, Senior Communications Advisor, AUPE – 780-930-3311