Worker’s Fall Results in $300,000 in Fines for Director & Two Companies

A worker fell from a cement pier while dismantling a guardrail system, suffering head and leg injuries. A court found that neither he nor three other workers at the site had any fall protection. There was also a lack of equipment for each worker and proper care and inspection of existing safety equipment. Lastly, the court found that the onsite supervisor was unqualified. The court fined the constructor $75,000 and the worker’s employer $215,000 for various safety violations. It also fined a company director $10,000 for failing to ensure both companies complied with the OHS law [Bélanger Construction (1981) Inc., R.M. Bélanger Ltd. and Ronald Bélanger, Govt. News Release, Aug. 16, 2012].