A St. Catharines roofing contractor has been fined $78,000 in connection with an incident that led to a worker’s critical injuries in 2023.

PEC Roof Maintenance pled guilty to a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in court in February. The court also imposed a 25 percent victim fine surcharge that is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

The incident occurred on a worksite on Highway 20 in Fonthill, a community south of St. Catharines.

A worker and supervisor were sent to a secondary school to inspect and repair a leak in its flat roof.

They set up a 32-foot aluminum ladder to access a lower roof, then brought another ladder to access a higher roof.

The top of the ladder to access the lower roof was secured to a vice grip clamp on the roof flashing with a nylon rope, however the bottom of the ladder was not secured. The area was not treated with sand or similar material to ensure a firm footing despite the presence of snow and ice.

While the two were on the lower roof, the supervisor instructed the worker to go to a vehicle for a clamp and rope to secure the second ladder.

When the worker stepped onto the ladder it slipped out from beneath. The fall resulted in a critical injury.

PEC Roof Maintenance was also found liable for the acts and neglects of its supervisor under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.