Fines in Drywall Worker's Fall Total $100,000
The two Canadian companies involved, the contractor and a drywall/stucco subcontractor, both pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the injured worker was protected by a guardrail.
Two companies with operations in Ontario, Canada, were fined a total of $100,000 on Aug. 10 after pleading guilty to failing to ensure that a worker was protected by a guardrail in July 2008 as he applied stucco to a second-floor ceiling during its construction. The worker was standing on a balcony with no railing; he stepped backward and fell more than 10 feet to the floor, suffering broken bones and a concussion, according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour.
Mattamy 2000 Inc., the general contractor, and Foremont Drywall Inc., the drywall/stucco subcontractor, pleaded guilty in the case. Mattamy 2000 Inc. was fined $55,000 and Foremont was fined $45,000, the ministry reported.
In partnership with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association, the ministry is currently engaged in an eight-week construction safety outreach campaign that began July 28. The campaign includes stops at construction sites throughout the province and a new workplace safety toll-free line (877-202-0008) for workers and the public to report unsafe practices.