Aluma Systems Inc. failed to provide re-shoring drawings for area around pour zone
Aluma Systems Inc., a company specializing in concrete formwork and shoring solutions, has been fined $60,000 following a conviction related to workplace injuries.
The incident, which took place in May 2021 at a high-rise construction project in Markham, Ontario, resulted in two workers being injured due to the collapse of shoring during a concrete pouring operation.
The incident involved a concrete pouring operation on the third level of a high-rise building, where ten concrete finishing workers were using drawings provided by Aluma Systems Inc. to construct shoring for the operation.
The collapse occurred as the workers were pouring concrete from a pump truck onto a designated pour area. All ten workers managed to escape the collapsing area by moving towards the edge of the pour zone. However, two workers sustained injuries during the incident.
A subsequent investigation conducted by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development revealed that while the shoring design at the area of the collapse was capable of withstanding expected loads and forces, the design of the re-shoring in and around that location was inadequate.
This deficiency was determined to be a probable cause of the collapse. Notably, Aluma Systems had not provided re-shoring drawings for the affected area before the accident occurred.
Aluma Systems failed to ensure that re-shoring was appropriately supported and braced during the concrete pouring operation. This negligence is in violation of section 87(1)(a) of the Construction Regulation. The company was convicted on August 10, 2023.
The violation of section 87(1)(a) of Ontario Regulation 213/90, in conjunction with section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, was attributed to Aluma Systems Inc.'s failure to effectively communicate the necessity of proper re-shoring design and construction to its customer.
