Injury leads to $85,000-fine for Vaughan contractor
A critical injury to a worker has resulted in a hefty fine to a Vaughan-based electrical contractor.
Urban Electrical Contractors of Creditstone Road pled guilty in the Ontario Court of Justice to charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act that led to an electrical explosion that critically injured a worker. The company will pay an $85,000-fine for its role in the incident, plus a 25-percent victim fine surcharge.
The incident occurred in March 2020 at a renovation of a commercial building on Bay Street in Toronto.
An electrician working for Urban Electrical Contractors was connecting electrical cables located in the main electrical switchboard at the project when an electrical explosion occurred, critically injuring the worker.
An investigation by the Ministry of Labour concluded that the power supply to the main electrical switchboard was not disconnected and locked out of service before any work on the switchboard had begun and not kept disconnected and locked out of service while the work continued.
The investigation found that Urban Electrical Contractors failed to ensure key safety provisions described in the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Regulation for Construction Projects.