OTTAWA — Ottawa-based Southgate Carpets Incorporated, a flooring company that also performs small renovations, has been fined $100,000 after a worker was injured in a fall in 2023.
According to an Ontario court bulletin, the incident occurred on Sept. 10, 2023 at a construction project on a property owned by the company at 1412 York’s Corners Road, in Edwards, Ont.
Workers were removing trusses from a partially demolished roof at the property. One worker was sitting and standing atop the walls of the house and using a crowbar to separate the trusses from the exterior walls. He would then rig them to an excavator to be pulled off the wall. During this time, the worker fell to the ground below, the bulletin describes.
A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation found there was no scaffolding system, staging or flooring within 2.4 metres below the worker when they were on the wall.
As a result, Southgate Carpets failed, as an employer, to ensure the trusses and excavator were moved in a manner that did not endanger a worker, as required by section 37(1) of Ontario Regulation 213/91, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The company also failed to ensure scaffolding, flooring or staging no more than 2.4 metres around the wall as required by section 219 of Ontario Regulation 213/91, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Act.
Following a guilty plea on Dec. 12, 2024 the company was fined by Justice of the Peace Karen Baum.
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