Roofing company fined $175,000 after fatal fall in Brantford

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Ontario Construction News staff writer

Concord-based Provincial Industrial Roofing and Sheet Metal Company Limited was fined $175,000 after pleading guilty in relation to the accidental death of a worker in April 2021.

Upfield Canada, a Toronto producer of plant-based food products, was ordered to pay $125,000 for the same incident.

During a roof replacement project, a worker was fatally injured when a concrete roof deck panel collapsed, causing the worker to fall, the ministry stated.

“Upfield Canada Inc. failed, as a constructor, to protect workers from the hazard of falling through the roof, contravening section 23(1) (c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

“Provincial Industrial Roofing and Sheet Metal Company Limited. failed, as an employer, to ensure a worker was protected from the hazard of falling through the roof, contravening section 25(2)(h) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.”

The roof replacement project required removing an existing flat-roof system, including the pre-manufactured concrete deck and the membrane materials located on top of the deck. To remove the membrane materials, workers used “roof cutters,” which are devices resembling large circular saws mounted to a rolling cart that the operator walks behind. The roof membrane materials were cut into chunks and removed. Then the exposed concrete roof deck was swept and cleared of remaining debris in preparation for its removal.

On April 1, 2021, a worker employed by Provincial Industrial Roofing and Sheet Metal Company Limited was pushing a wheelbarrow of debris towards the disposal chute when the concrete roof deck panel beneath them collapsed, causing the worker to fall and be fatally injured the ministry stated.

Upfield Canada Inc. was conducting extensive renovations at their commercial property at 8-10 Craig Street in Brantford, Ontario, including demolition and roof replacement work.

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