Global Recycling & Recovery, a Thunder Bay salvage, demolition and dismantling company, pleaded guilty in an Ontario Court of Justice and has been fined $55,000 after a worker fell and suffered fractures while removing equipment from a decommissioned Thunder Bay mill in 2013.
The company was contracted to dismantle and remove assets from a former mill located at 965 Strathcona Avenue.
On December 17, 2013, a worker was on the third floor of the mill and removing equipment by pushing it through an open hatchway, which would then fall to the floor below to be taken away. While pushing a large metal cabinet weighing approximately 150 pounds, the worker's glove became caught in the cabinet and the worker was pulled over the edge of the hatchway. The worker fell about 5.84 metres (19 feet) and suffered numerous fractures.
A Ministry of Labour investigation that took place the same day determined that the workers were not protected by any means of fall protection while exposed to a fall hazard of more than three metres (9.84 feet). This is contrary to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Construction Projects Regulation.
The $55,000 fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Raymond A. Zuliani on September 11.
In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.
