February 7, 2012

Ottawa construction firm fined after worker receives electric shock

The Ontario Ministry of Labour announced Monday that an Ontario court fined Marathon Drilling Co. Ltd. $65,000 over an incident in October, 2010 in which a worker was injured.

The incident, which took place Oct. 7, 2010, resulted in an electrical shock, causing the worker to be seriously burned.

Justice of the Peace Brian MacKey fined the firm after it pleaded guilty to a charge under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

“On October 7, 2010, the company was drilling at a construction project on Albion Rd. in Ottawa,” the Ministry of Labour stated of Marathon. “The company was using a boom truck to lift and move construction materials needed for the drilling work. A worker was helping to place an auger being moved by the boom truck. The worker was holding the chains attaching the auger to the boom truck's hook when the truck came into contact with an overhead electrical conductor. The worker received an electric shock and was seriously burned.”

The Ministry of Labour investigated and Marathon was charged with failing to ensure that the cable of the boom truck was kept away from the overhead conductor by at least the minimum distance stipulated in the Ontario Regulation 213/91 section 188 (2).

DCN DIGITAL MEDIA

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