RES Precast fined $65,000 after worker suffers critical injuries

Mar. 31, 2016 – RES Precast, a company that designs, fabricates and erects concrete panels, pleaded guilty and was fined $65,000 after a worker suffered critical injuries from panels that tipped over.

On Apr. 21, 2014, workers were at the company’s Innisfil, Ont., industrial facility where the panels are cast in forms and removed using an overhead crane. Two panels measuring about 20 feet long and weighing a combined 3,750 pounds were being moved to a storage area in the yard at the time.

The storage area contained a number of concrete pillars lying horizontally on the ground and the concrete panels were to be stored on top of the horizontal pillars. According to the Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL), the crane operator was being assisted by two workers on the ground and after the crane lowered the concrete panels onto the pillars, one of the workers walked over to the panels and removed the nylon sling that attached the panels to the crane. At that point, the panels tipped over and fell onto the worker, the report notes, adding that  the worker suffered broken bones, lacerations and crushing injuries.

The investigation revealed that the panels were placed on pillars that were uneven and sloped. This violated Section 45(b) of the Industrial Establishments Regulation (Ontario Regulation 851) that prescribes that material, articles or things shall be transported, placed or stored so that the material will not tip, collapse or fall and endanger a worker.

RES Precast pleaded guilty to failing as an employer to ensure that the proper measures and procedures were carried out, and was fined $65,000. 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.