Ontario Construction News staff writer
Resform Construction Ltd., a Cookstown-based concrete forming, masonry and architectural precast concrete business working in the high-rise residential sector has been fined $140,000 in relation to a workplace injury.
The incident happened at a high-rise project on York Mills Road in Toronto in November 2021 when a worker was critically injured when a construction rebar cage fell on them. On June 2, Resform Construction Ltd. pleaded guilty in an Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto to failing to ensure that the steel rebar cage was adequately braced as prescribed by Ontario Regulation 213/91, and contrary to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Resform Construction Ltd. was contracted by a high-rise constructor to perform concrete formwork in the construction of two residential towers, one 24 storeys and the other 12 storeys high.
On Nov. 11, 2021, two workers employed by Resform Construction Ltd. were preparing the ground floor air shaft between two buildings for the installation of forms around a steel rebar cage. While the two workers were taking measurements to determine the required materials for installing the forms around the rebar cage, the rebar cage fell on one of the workers, resulting in critical injuries.
A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation determined that the rebar cage collapsed and fell onto the worker because it was not secured in place. The rebar cage was free standing in place and the two tie wire connections to the rebar cage were not secured to the existing structure.
“In failing to ensure that the steel rebar cage was adequately braced, Resform Construction Ltd. failed, as an employer, to ensure that the measures and procedures prescribed by section 31(1)(b) of Ontario Regulation 213/91 were carried out in the workplace, contrary to section 23(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act,” Justice Rick Libman stated in his ruling.