Nova Scotia OHS Division Files Charges Against Fire School Over LODD

Posted by: Curt Varone December 22, 2020 0

Nova Scotia’s Occupational Health and Safety Division has cited the Nova Scotia Firefighting School with two charges in connection with the death of a firefighter last year.

Truro firefighter Skyler Blackie died on March 20, 2019, eleven days after he was injured in an explosion at the Nova Scotia Firefighting School. A fire extinguisher exploded fatally injuring Blackie, who was 28 at the time.

The OHSA charges accuse the fire school of failing to “take every precaution that is reasonable in the circumstances to ensure… the health and safety of persons at or near a workplace”; and failing to ensure equipment was recertified according to manufacturers’ specifications.

In addition to the two OHSA charges, the Labour Department issued two compliance orders to the fire school requiring the removal and inspection of all extinguishers similar to the one that exploded.

Here is a copy of Nova Scotia’s OHS Act.

Nova-Scotia-Occupational-Health-and-SafetyDownload

More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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