A Hearst, Ont.-based construction company has been fined $50,000 after a worker suffered critical injuries at a quarry site when they attempted to step over an unguarded, moving conveyor belt.
C. Villeneuve Construction Co. Ltd. pleaded guilty in Provincial Offences Court in Cochrane to violating section 196(3.1) of the Mines and Mining Plants Regulation under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, said Justice of the Peace Estelle Thérese Bérubé in her February 4 ruling.
The incident occurred Sept. 12, 2023, at the company’s Driftwood Quarry operation in Driftwood, Ont.
Safety protocols bypassed
Ministry of Labour investigators determined that while the worker had properly locked out and de-energized the screen box/shaker they were cleaning, the feed conveyor that supplied material to the equipment remained operational.
The investigation revealed a critical safety violation: the conveyor lacked adequate guarding measures despite being accessible to workers using the catwalk platform.
Financial penalties
In addition to the $50,000 fine, the court imposed a mandatory 25 percent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. These additional funds are directed to a special provincial government program supporting crime victims.
Crown Counsel Alicia Gordon-Fagan represented the ministry in the case.
The conviction underscores the critical importance of comprehensive lockout procedures and proper machine guarding in high-risk industrial environments where moving equipment poses significant hazards to workers.
