Chen Timbers Pty Ltd, a USA owned timber processing company, has been fined $420,000 following a tragic workplace incident in May 2025 that resulted in the death of one worker and serious injuries to another.
Jason Chen, the American CEO and founder of Chen Timbers, was held liable under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act for failing, as far as reasonably practicable, to ensure a safe working environment for employees.
An investigation conducted by WorkSafe found that the company could have reasonably eliminated the risk to workers by implementing daily machinery inspections and ensuring all equipment was maintained in a safe, operable condition.
The investigation revealed that there was no established safe system of work for conducting daily inspections or reporting potential hazards. It was further determined that the company failed to adequately instruct employees on how to manage machinery-related risks, including the need to report issues to a supervisor for prompt repairs.
“The dangers associated with plant and moving machinery are well known, as they are a leading cause of workplace fatalities and serious injuries in Guyana,” stated Mr. Roydon Croal, Assistant Chief Labour Occupational Safety & Health Officer. “Foreign investors and organizations operating in Guyana are expected to comply with the provisions of the OSH Act.”
The deceased worker, 42-year-old Mark Hosannah, leaves behind a grieving wife and two children who are now seeking justice. The second injured worker, Mohammed Singh, is still undergoing medical assessment, and it is not yet confirmed whether his injuries will have permanent consequences.
That’s very sad. Hope they got some compensation.
This has been very hard for my family.these foreigners come in and take advantage of our system.
Oh no. That’s terrible. Hopefully our corrupt government officials don’t take advantage of that to keep the money.
😭❤️
RIP Mark. Was a great guy.
He really was. We went to high school together. Praying for his family.