Millwright Company Fined $55,000 After Worker Injured

Barrie, Ont. - Western Mechanical Electrical Millwright Services Ltd. was fined $55,000 on January 19, 2010, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) that caused an injury to a worker.

On April 11, 2007, an employee at the company's Barrie facility was repositioning a beam on two sawhorses in order to weld it.  As the worker moved the beam, the sawhorses came out from under it.  One of the sawhorses hit the worker in the leg, breaking it.

Western Mechanical Electrical Millwright Services Ltd. pleaded guilty to failing, as an employer, to ensure that the beam was moved in a way that would not endanger the safety of the worker.

The fine was imposed by Justice C. Roland Harris.  In addition to the fine, 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

                                    114 Worsley St.

                                    Barrie, Ont.

Judge:                         Justice C. Roland Harris

Date of Conviction:      January 19, 2010

Defendant:                   Western Mechanical Electrical Millwright Services Ltd.

Matter:                         Occupational Health and Safety

Conviction:                  Ontario Regulation 851, Section 45(a)

Crown Counsel:           Mike Nicol

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