A Toronto-area waste recycling company has been fined $110,000 following the death of a worker who was struck by a front-end loader in 2023.
Millwick Waste Recycling Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure proper safety measures were in place when operating heavy machinery at its North York facility. The company was sentenced April 24 in Ontario Court of Justice by Justice Maureen Bellmore.
The fatal incident occurred February 15, 2023, when a worker was killed by a wheel-loader at the company’s operations at 50 Millwick Drive. A Ministry of Labour investigation found the loader operator did not have a clear view of the travel path because the machine’s bucket was in an elevated position.
Safety protocols violated
The investigation determined Millwick failed to ensure the loader was operated under the direction of a trained signaller who was in full view of the operator, as required under Ontario workplace safety regulations.
The company violated section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act by not carrying out measures prescribed in section 56 of Ontario Regulation 851/90, which governs construction project safety protocols.
Court penalty details
In addition to the $110,000 fine, the court imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge as mandated by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge goes to a provincial fund that assists crime victims.
Crown Counsel Shantanu Shankar Roy prosecuted the case for the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
