Death of a Maintenance Worker Results in $250,000 Fine for School Board

A maintenance worker at a high school was assigned to replace a safety cage on a ceiling light in the gym. The worker, who was working alone, was given a van, a trailer with a ramp and a portable aerial device. He shoveled snow out of the way, opened the trailer and lowered the ramp. The angle of the ramp was about eight degrees. But the manual for the aerial device indicated that it shouldn’t be rolled down an incline greater than five degrees. While rolling the aerial device down the ramp, it tipped over and fatally struck him. The school board pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that, among other things, the angle of the ramp was five degrees or less and that another worker was present to assist the worker. The court fined it $250,000 [Ottawa Catholic School Board, Gov’t. News Release, March 31, 2016].