St. Thomas employer fined in lumber yard incident

ST. THOMAS, ONT. — A St. Thomas, Ont. building centre has been fined after a worker suffered critical injuries while transporting lumber at its premises.

Geerlinks Home Hardware Building Centre received a $70,000 fine in St. Thomas Provincial Offences Court Dec. 31. The incident occurred Oct. 1, 2022.

That day, two workers were asked by their supervisor to take returned lumber to the building centre lumber yard.

In the past, they had done this by hand. However, on this occasion, one worker used a forklift to carry the lumber while being assisted by the other worker, who was walking alongside the forklift in close proximity.

The worker operating the forklift attempted to place two-by-six-by-16-foot boards into a pile when the second worker walked toward the back of the forklift. The forklift operator moved the forklift forward, striking the other worker.

At the time of the incident, the worker operating the forklift was not certified to operate the forklift, nor did they have Lift Truck Pedestrian Safety training. The other worker did not have Forklift Operator training or Lift Truck Pedestrian Safety training either.

The court found that Geerlinks, as an employer, failed to ensure that the workers were provided information, instruction and supervision regarding the operation of forklifts at a workplace, contrary to section 25(2)(a) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Geerlinks pleaded guilty.