Whitehorse businesses defend safety standards

Two Whitehorse businesses charged in connection with a2011 workplace death are defending their companys safety standards in an ongoing trial.

IntegraTire mechanic Denis Chabot died two years ago when a North 60 truck he was servicing drove over him.

• Friends mourn worker killed at tire shop

Managers at North 60 Petro and Integra Tire are accused of not training their workers properly.

In Yukon territorial court this week, North 60 operations manager Trevor Piercey admits when he took over the job in 2010, safety issues were more of an "inconvenience" than a priority.

Inspectors had cited the company for 72 workplace infractions that year.

But Piercey testified he turned that all around within 12 months, creating a safety regime he was proud of, and gave a detailed description yesterday of the safety protocols implemented the year before the fatal accident.

He has not explained why those safety protocols were bypassed when an employee drove a North 60 truck out of the Integra Tire shop, crushing Chabot, who was still working underneath it.

The North 60 lawyer insists it was simply a tragic workplace accident.

Integra too maintains its innocence.

Its lawyers have called an American expert from Maryland to testify by video about safety standards in the North American Tire Industry.

The accused manager and a retired owner will also testify about the training they gave employees, including the victim, when the trial resumes this morning.