Supervisor died when an exterior building panel fell during hoisting
Stouffville Glass, Inc., a glass supplier and installation company based in Stouffville, Ontario, has been fined $150,000 following a workplace fatality that occurred on June 28, 2021. The penalty was imposed after the company was found guilty of failing to comply with safety regulations, resulting in the death of one of its workers.
The incident took place at the construction site of the Continuing Studies Building at York University, located at 4700 Keele Street in North York. Stouffville Glass had been subcontracted to perform exterior and interior glass installation, as well as the installation of exterior aluminum panels for the construction project, which had commenced in March 2020.
On the day of the accident, a supervisor employed by Stouffville Glass was overseeing the hoisting of an exterior building panel to the sixth floor of the project. During the operation, the panel fell, resulting in a fatal injury to the supervisor.
Following the incident, a thorough investigation was conducted by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development. The investigation found that the taglines, which are used to control the motion of the panel on the crane, were not properly attached to the load. Instead, they were connected to a power grip used to hoist the load, contributing to the accident.
Stouffville Glass was charged with a violation of section 179 of Regulation 213/91, in contravention of section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and pleaded guilty.
In addition to the fine, a 25 percent victim fine surcharge was imposed in accordance with the Provincial Offences Act, with the funds going toward assisting victims of crime.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of workplace safety and adherence to safety regulations to prevent accidents and protect workers. Employers are legally obligated to ensure the safety of their employees and must comply with all relevant regulations and guidelines to avoid such tragic consequences.
