Ottawa construction companies fined a total of 90k for ohsa violations
Urbandale Construction Limited, a residential construction company from Ottawa, was fined $40,000 on September 24, 2009, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) after a worker was injured. Laren Holdings Inc., carrying on business as Tony Olsen Enterprises, an Ottawa roofing contractor, was fined $50,000 in relation to the same incident. The violations were contrary to Ontario Regulation 213/91, Section 35(2)
On June 20, 2008, Urbandale Construction was building residential townhouses with Tony Olsen Enterprises constructing the roofs. A worker on the roof of one of the townhouses threw a pallet off the roof towards a waste bin on the ground. The pallet hit another worker who was walking between the building and the bin. This second worker suffered injuries to the head, shoulder and neck.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found that neither company had provided a safe method of disposing of debris from the roof.
Both companies pleaded guilty under the OHSA to failing to ensure that the debris was lowered from the roof by a chute, in a container, or by a crane or hoist.
The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Beverly Souliere. In addition to the fines, 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.
