A string of construction-site fatalities in rapid succession has caused the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) to call on all contractors to pause and double down on their commitments to safety.

In an open letter to the industry, the association has asked contractors to meet with their management teams and workers to, “deliver a message that nothing is more important than safety, to use caution and to stay focused on the job at hand. Our commitment must be that every worker returns home safe to their family.”

The message comes in a response to a deadly week on Ontario jobsites. A wall collapse on a four-storey apartment building under construction in London on December 11 led to the death of two workers and injuries to four others. That incident was followed by the collapse of a scaffolding deck at a construction site near Widmer and Adelaide streets in downtown Toronto on December 14. A worker died from the fall.

A third incident occurred a day later—on December 15—at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa where a five-tonne concrete slab struck two workers, killing one and injuring the other.

And on November 16, an accident in Vaughan’s west end claimed the life of one worker.

The incidents have caused some to consider the broader picture of safety trends in Ontario’s construction industry. A recent report by CBC News, for example, shows that the number of construction worker deaths in Ontario has been on a steady rise since 2014.

The average number of deaths on sites in a year hovers around 20, and has increased by one since 2014. The number of critical injuries has also risen from 231 in 2014 to 357 in 2019.

“We are distressed by the rash of workplace fatalities on our province’s construction sites in the last few days. Our hearts go out to all the families, friends, colleagues and co-workers of those now dealing with this tragedy. Construction is often referred to as a family, and collectively we are all hurting,” says the OGCA’s call to action.

“With all the stresses of COVID-19, the changes in seasons, and the rush to finish work before the holiday season, it is essential that everyone comes to work fully fit for duty, focused on the tasks at hand, and that contractors put safety above all other pressures.

At the OGCA, we are committed to making Ontario one of the safest places in the world to work. We work from the perspective that one injury is too many and that every accident is preventable. We will never be satisfied and will work tirelessly to improve safety.

Now is the time for the industry to stop and focus on what is important. Now is time for us to remain steadfast in our commitment to safety.

The OGCA is strongly recommending that all contractors across the province take a moment for a safety stand down with their workers to reflect on these recent tragedies. After reflecting, we encourage a safety talk, noting that safety is everyone’s responsibility, that workers and supervisors need to stay focused, and that the construction industry needs to remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring every member of our construction family goes home safely.”