A Woodbridge, Ont.-based company has been fined $68,000 after a worker sustained critical injuries at a Newmarket construction site, the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development reported. Innovative Metal Works Inc., a structural steel manufacturer and installer, pleaded guilty to violating workplace safety regulations, according to the ministry.
The incident occurred on Feb. 27, 2023, at a hotel construction project on Main Street South in Newmarket. The ministry’s investigation found that a nylon hoisting strap holding a lateral assembly beam to a crane broke, causing the beam to fall and critically injure a worker on the ground. The strap was cut when it came into contact with a sharp capping plate on the assembly, and investigators noted that no edge protection had been used to safeguard the strap.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers are required to ensure safety measures are in place to prevent such incidents. The ministry charged that Innovative Metal Works Inc. failed to follow regulations prescribed in section 172(3) of the Regulation for Construction Projects, as required by section 25(1)(c) of the Act.
The company pleaded guilty to the charges on September 20, 2024, in the Provincial Offences Court in Newmarket. Justice of the Peace Raimondo Maltese imposed the fine, while Crown Counsel Judy Chan represented the case. Additionally, a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge was applied to the penalty, contributing to a provincial fund that aids crime victims.
The investigation revealed that the ground-level worker had been using a nylon hoisting strap attached to the centre of the beam with a choke hitch when the crane lifted the assembly to be installed. The beam was nearly in place when the strap gave way, resulting in the worker’s injuries.
The ministry highlighted the importance of edge protection in such situations to prevent the integrity of hoisting straps from being compromised by sharp surfaces.