A Vaughan, Ont.-based construction company has been fined $140,000 after pleading guilty in a workplace fatality case where a worker fell to their death while installing roof trusses at a residential construction site.
Kingsview Carpentry Ltd., which specializes in residential carpentry, pleaded guilty in Provincial Offences Court in Owen Sound to violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The conviction stems from a February 2023 incident at a residential construction project in the Town of Blue Mountains.
The incident occurred when workers from Groulx Construction, hired by Kingsview to install pre-engineered roof trusses, were preparing to separate trusses that had been hoisted onto garage walls. A worker climbed onto a wooden support system that was built to keep the trusses upright but was not designed to function as a work platform.
The support structure broke during the process, causing the worker to fall to the ground below. The worker, who was not wearing any fall protection equipment, sustained fatal injuries.
Justice of the Peace Moira Jean Callahan imposed the fine after Kingsview admitted failing to provide the worker with proper scaffolding or suspended work platform that met provincial regulatory requirements.
A 25 per cent victim fine surcharge was also imposed as required by the Provincial Offences Act, with funds directed to a special provincial government fund supporting crime victims.
The case highlights critical workplace safety requirements for construction projects, particularly regarding fall protection and proper scaffolding systems.
Under section 125(1) of Ontario Regulation 213/91, employers must provide appropriate scaffolding or suspended work platforms that meet regulatory standards.
