The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has been fined $80,000 after a worker suffered a critical injury during a forklift training session at its London warehouse.
The June 2022 incident occurred when an unqualified seasonal worker conducted training for employees learning to operate powered pallet lift trucks, according to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
The company pleaded guilty to failing to provide proper information, instruction and supervision to protect worker health and safety under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Justice of the Peace Kristine M. Diaz imposed the penalty in London Provincial Offences Court on Aug. 28, 2025.
What happened
On June 20, 2022, a group of LCBO workers attended training to use powered pallet lift trucks, also called transporters, at the warehouse at 955 Wilton Grove Road. A seasonal warehouse worker with experience operating the equipment but no certification to train others led the session.
The trainer gave an incomplete overview of visual and operational inspection procedures, believing workers had already received theoretical training. One worker operating the transporter for the first time lost control while practicing turns in an aisle and collided with a steel storage rack, sustaining a critical injury.
Training failures identified
The ministry’s investigation found the trainer lacked necessary qualifications and had not received recent instruction on the equipment or LCBO training protocols. The incomplete training left the injured worker without adequate preparation to safely operate the lift truck.
The LCBO violated section 25(2)(a) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which requires employers to provide workers with information, instruction and supervision to protect their health and safety.
In addition to the $80,000 fine, the court imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge goes to a provincial fund that assists crime victims. Crown Counsel Julia Pimentel prosecuted the case.
