01.04.2011

Ottawa company fined C$110,000

Ottawa, Ontario-based construction company AGF Raymond Rebar has been fined C$110,000 for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured during the lifting of two rebar structures.

On July 23, 2008, workers were at a tower construction project on Kent Street in Ottawa, preparing to hoist two rebar structures with a crane. The rebar structures were sitting one on top of the other and the workers attached the bottom rebar structure to the crane but did not secure the top structure. As the lift continued the load shifted and the unsecured structure fell on a worker who suffered multiple fractures and damage to internal organs.

AGF Raymond Rebar was found guilty of two offences:

• failing to ensure that the crane's rigging was arranged to prevent the top rebar structure from slipping or falling, in accordance with Ontario Regulation 213/91, Section 172(1)(c); and

• failing to provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker on preventing a hoisted object from slipping or falling, in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Section 25(2)(a)

In addition to the fines, the court imposed a 25 percent 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.