March 23, 2005

Companies face $3.5M in fines

Charges laid against firms for burn injuries to workers

EDMONTON

Charges have been laid against a pair of major oilpatch firms two years to the day after two workers were engulfed in a ball of flame while unloading a flammable liquid near Edson, Alta.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. and Dial Oilfield Services could face a total of $3.5 million in fines if convicted.

On March 16, 2003, Scott Richardson, 36, was horribly burned when fumes from a chemical he and his friend were unloading from a truck suddenly ignited.

Richardson was training Jason Chamberlain how to refill chemical tanks.

They had no idea the chemical was highly explosive, Richardson contends.

The blast launched Richardson out of the truck and six metres through the air.

“When I did get up, my hair was still on fire,’’ he said. “I was burnt really good.’’

Chamberlain was wandering around near the truck, staggered by the blast and badly burned.

The explosion had burned away the flesh on one of Richardson’s hands nearly to the bone. The rest of the skin was just hanging off.

Terrified and suffering from a collapsed lung, he set off looking for help. Four kilometres down the road, a member of a seismic team on a quad found him.

The pair were finally flown out by helicopter.

Richardson alleges he was fired for damaging equipment boxes on a seismic line after the explosion in the hope someone would come out to investigate.

Neither company could be reached for comment.

The Canadian Press

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