A Vancouver-based restaurant company has been fined $55,000 after a worker was assaulted by a patron at its London, Ont. location and the employer failed to have proper workplace violence policies in place.
Richmond Street Warehouse Restaurant Ltd., operating as El Furniture Warehouse, pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2025, to failing to develop and maintain a workplace violence policy compliant with Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. The offence occurred on Nov. 5, 2023.
Justice of the Peace Abdul Ali Chahbar imposed the fine in Provincial Offences Court in London. The court also added a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
Details of the incident
The worker was acting as a host at the company’s Richmond Street location in London, Ont., when a floor manager asked them to tell a customer to leave the bar at approximately 1 a.m.
While the worker was speaking with the patron, the patron mimicked striking the worker. A second later, the patron’s companion struck the worker, and both the worker and the patron fell to the floor. As the worker began to stand up, the patron struck them again.
The worker called 911 and reported the incident to the floor manager through a social media messaging application. The worker was taken to hospital and treated for an injury.
Ministry investigation findings
A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation found that El Furniture Warehouse had little to no procedure or training for handling violent situations.
The workplace had no procedures for summoning immediate assistance, no radios to assist with communication between workers, and no security guards on duty at the time of the incident, according to the ministry.
Inspectors also learned that El Furniture had not completed a risk assessment in the workplace, despite incidents of violence occurring in the previous year.
Legal requirements
Section 32.0.2 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act requires employers to develop and maintain a program to implement a workplace violence policy. That policy must include measures and procedures for summoning immediate assistance when workplace violence occurs.
