A St. Thomas, Ont.-based construction company has been fined $55,000 after pleading guilty to safety violations related to a workplace injury that occurred in 2022.
Gary D. Robinson Contracting Ltd., a general contractor specializing in infrastructure construction, was convicted for failing to comply with safety regulations under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. The offence took place on Nov. 14, 2022, at a worksite located on Ron McNeil Line in St. Thomas, Ont.
The incident involved a worker who was critically injured while loading steel trusses onto a trailer. According to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, the trusses were being transported without proper securing measures, leading to the injury. The trusses, which were wet at the time, were stacked directly on top of each other without any dunnage—wooden supports used to prevent slippage—between them. During the loading process, a truss shifted and fell off the trailer, striking the worker.
The investigation revealed that the company violated Section 45(b)(i) of Regulation 851, which mandates that materials must be transported, placed, or stored in a manner that prevents tipping, collapsing, or falling. This regulation is enforced under Section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Justice of the Peace Anna Hampson handed down the sentence in Provincial Offences Court, St. Thomas. In addition to the $55,000 fine, the company is required to pay a 25 percent victim fine surcharge. This surcharge, as mandated by the Provincial Offences Act, contributes to a provincial fund designed to assist victims of crime.
Crown Counsel Tyler Fram represented the prosecution in the case.