An Alberta construction company is now facing charges related to workplace safety following an incident where one of its employees suffered severe crush injuries almost two years ago. Cody Gogol was working for Roadside Supply Ltd. in April 2024 when a heavy steel object, weighing over 907 kilograms, fell on him, causing significant harm. Gogol was inside the company’s welding and fabrication shop in Ardrossan, located about 20 kilometers east of Edmonton, when a guardrail structure shifted, resulting in severe injuries to his face, neck, skull, teeth, and eye.
Twelve charges were officially filed against Roadside Supply Ltd. on January 17 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The charges accuse the company of failing to ensure Gogol’s safety by using improper rigging methods, makeshift clamps, and neglecting other necessary safety measures to prevent employees from being trapped or struck by equipment.
Furthermore, the company is also facing charges related to the handling of the investigation following Gogol’s injury. Allegations include the company’s failure to promptly report the incident and their failure to preserve the injury scene until investigators arrived.
Gogol’s journey of injury, treatment, and recovery was documented in a video by the Workers’ Compensation Board of Alberta, shared last year as a return-to-work success story. Gogol revealed in the video that the force of the guardrail had caused a fractured skull, crushed teeth, and a dissected carotid artery, resulting in various health issues, including a traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, dental damage, and partial vision loss in one eye.
Despite the challenges, Gogol returned to work at Roadside Supply Ltd. less than a year later, performing modified duties. Grant Duma, the co-owner of the company, refrained from commenting on the allegations due to the ongoing legal process but expressed deep regret over the incident, emphasizing the company’s support for Gogol and its commitment to safety.
Roadside Supply Ltd. is set to appear in court for the first time on March 12 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Sherwood Park.