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Here are just some of the recent fines imposed for Fall
Protection and Fall Arrest accidents in Canada. Most of these accidents occur in construction zones.
Now that the construction season is well under way, please
make sure that your employees are careful and take all
necessary precautions when working with heights. These
accidents can be easily avoided. Make sure they don't
happen to you!
City Of Toronto Fined $175,000 For
Health And Safety Violation
May 18, 2007: The City of Toronto was fined $175,000 on May
17, 2007 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety
Act that resulted in the death of a city building inspector.
On September 24, 2003, two City of Toronto building inspectors
were inspecting plumbing in a partially-built, two-storey home
when one of the inspectors fell through an uncovered portion
of a main-floor, stairway opening about 2.67 metres (eight
feet, nine inches) to a concrete basement floor below. The
inspector suffered head injuries and died the next day in
hospital.
The inspector had been on the job for just three weeks. The
incident occurred at a construction site on Greenwood Avenue
in Toronto. The house was being built by D/C Contracting Ltd.,
a Scarborough, Ont.-based construction company specializing in
new home building and home/office renovations.
The City of Toronto pleaded guilty to failing to provide the
deceased inspector with training on unguarded and uncovered
floor openings and on Section 26.3(2) and Section 75 of the
Regulations for Construction Projects. This was contrary to
Section 25(2)(a) of the act.
The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace James Cresswell
at Old City Hall in Toronto. In addition, the court imposed a
25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the
Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a
special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.
D/C Contracting Ltd. was fined $100,000 on October 23, 2006
for a violation of the act in connection with the incident.
J.M.D.
Metals Inc. Fined $70,000 for Health and Safety Violation
April 25, 2007: J.M.D. Metals Inc., a former Fonthill,
Ont.-based company that installed metal roof decking, was
fined $70,000 on April 23, 2007 for a violation of the
Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in serious
injuries to an employee at a school construction site in
Oakville, Ont.
On February 2, 2004, a worker was on a partially-built,
two-storey school and was installing metal roof decking - a
job that involved applying the first layer to the flat-roof
structure - when the worker slipped and fell about 8.2 metres
(27 feet) through an open hole in the roof. Landing on the
ground below, the worker suffered a fractured leg bone, and
head and lower back injuries. The incident occurred at Abbey
Park High School at 1445 Glen Abbey Gate in Oakville.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found the worker was not
wearing any fall arrest equipment at the time of the incident.
The worker was employed by J.M.D. Metals Inc., which had been
hired by the project's constructor, Aquicon Construction
Company Limited, to install metal roof decking.
Following a trial, J.M.D. Metals Inc. was found guilty, as an
employer, of failing to ensure the worker, who was exposed to
a hazard of falling more than three metres, wore adequate fall
arrest protection, as required by Section 26.1 of the
Regulations for Construction Projects. This was contrary to
Section 25(1)(c) of the act.
The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Lina Mills of the
Ontario Court of Justice in Burlington. In addition, the court
imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by
the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a
special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.
Ottawa-based Bassi Construction & Masonry Ltd. Fined $65,000
for Health and Safety Violation
April 23, 2007 - Bassi Construction & Masonry Ltd., a
construction company based in Gloucester, Ont., was fined
$65,000 on April 19, 2007 for a violation of the Occupational
Health and Safety Act that resulted in serious injuries to an
employee.
On December 9, 2005, a bricklayer was standing on a
second-level section of a scaffold platform and was receiving
a shipment of bricks when the scaffold section suddenly failed
and the worker fell about four metres (13 feet, two inches) to
the ground below. The worker suffered injuries to the arm and
leg. The incident occurred at a construction site for a new
home on Rosebella Avenue in Ottawa.
Bassi Construction & Masonry Ltd. pleaded guilty, as an
employer, to failing to take the reasonable precaution of
ensuring a scaffold outrigger/side bracket was securely and/or
properly attached to the scaffold. This was contrary to
Section 25(2)(h) of the act.
The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Claudette Cain of
the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa. In addition, the court
imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by
the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a
special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.
Click here to see more fines for Health &
Safety Violations.
Do you or
your employees need Fall Protection training?
YOW Canada is launching a new Fall Protection
Refresher Online Course in August, 2007. Keep checking our
website for the latest news or,
if you would like
to be added to our Course Notification list, please email us
at
info@yowcanada.com and we will
notify you once the course is available.
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