The Ministry of Labour continues to check up on safety issues at Eastern Power.

Tradesmen walked out of the plant on Oil Springs Line near Courtright last August citing a litany of safety concerns. The Ministry of Labour said there had been 192 work orders issued against the company building the gas powered energy plant in June. By August, the 200 tradespeople said it was too dangerous for them to continue working.

The Ministry of Labour stepped in and issued a stop work order citing concerns about a lack of tag out/lock out safety procedure.

Days later the MOL was investigating whether the Vogt brothers – owners of Eastern Power – had violated that stop work order and entered the plant at night to do some work.

Later the ministry stepped up its inspections and officials say investigators are still active at the plant and are still issuing orders.

“One order was issued for a proper guardrail system in the steam turbine pit,” says MOL spokesperson Janet Deline in an email to The Independent. “This order remains in process. One order was issued regarding trip hazards and one order was issued to ensure temporary lighting systems are enclosed by a mechanical protection device.  These orders have been complied with.”

And Deline says some of the original concerns remain outstanding with seven work orders outstanding and in two areas of the plant, there are still stop work orders due to safety concerns.