An Owen Sound company has been fined $200,000 in provincial court in connection with a 2022 incident that led to critical injuries to a worker.

Pickard Construction, which specializes in telecommunication installations, pled guilty to a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In addition to the fine, the company will pay a 25 percent victim fine surcharge.

The incident occurred in June of 2022 at a worksite on the northeast corner of Glenway Road and Concession Road 13, in the Township of Tiny.

Pickard Construction had been contracted to drill and install underground fiber optic lines to bring high-speed internet into homes in the area.

On the day of the incident, two workers were attempting to remove traceable mule tape from a previously buried high-density polyurethane (HDPE) pipe. HDPE pipes are pre-roped with traceable mule tape to help workers locate underground pipes after installation.

The workers inserted the nozzle of a portable air compressor into the HDPE pipe and used air to blow a tangled mule tape blockage through it. Another worker and a supervisor were standing at the other end of the HDPE pipe waiting for it to clear.

As the blockage began to clear, the tangled ball of mule tape shot into the air and over a live hydro line, critically injuring the worker standing at the other end of the HDPE pipe.

A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation found that Pickard Construction failed to ensure precautions were in place to prevent hazards to workers from energized electrical equipment, installations and conductors, as prescribed by section 183 of Ontario Regulation 213/91, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Since the incident, the company has developed written procedures for the task of using compressed air to clear HDPE pipes.