Ottawa, Ont. - Urbandale Construction Limited, a residential construction company from Ottawa, was fined $40,000 on September 24, 2009, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) after a worker was injured.  Laren Holdings Inc., carrying on business as Tony Olsen Enterprises, an Ottawa roofing contractor, was fined $50,000 in relation to the same incident.

On June 20, 2008, Urbandale Construction was building residential townhouses with Tony Olsen Enterprises constructing the roofs.  A worker on the roof of one of the townhouses threw a pallet off the roof towards a waste bin on the ground.  The pallet hit another worker who was walking between the building and the bin.  This second worker suffered injuries to the head, shoulder and neck.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that neither company had provided a safe method of disposing of debris from the roof.

Both companies pleaded guilty under the OHSA to failing to ensure that the debris was lowered from the roof by a chute, in a container, or by a crane or hoist.

The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Beverly Souliere.  In addition to the fines, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.  The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Court Information at a Glance

Location:                    Ontario Court of Justice

                                    100 Constellation Cres.

                                    Ottawa, ON

Judge:                        

Justice of the Peace Beverly Souliere

Date of Conviction:

September 24, 2009

Defendants:

Urbandale Construction Limited

Laren Holdings Inc., carrying on business as Tony Olsen Enterprises

Matter:                      

Occupational Health and Safety

Conviction:

Ontario Regulation 213/91, Section 35(2)

Crown Counsel:

Judy Chan