Power company pleads guilty in workplace death

Nova Scotia Power has pleaded guilty in connection tothe death of a worker at its Lingan plant nearly four years ago.

Alfred Joseph Wrice, 35,died Dec. 4, 2004, while working as a coal handler at the power generating station north of Sydney.

Wrice, of Glace Bay,wasburied under four metres of coal after he fell into a bunker. The slot opening was notcovered at the time.

As a trial resumed Tuesday in Sydney provincial court, NSPI pleaded guilty to one count under the provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act of failing to protect against a fall.

The company had originally pleaded not guilty to that charge and one count of failing to ensure guardrails were provided.

Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 13.