Labour, Training and Skills Development
Convicted: Skyjack Inc., 287 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario. The company is a manufacturer of elevating work platforms.
Location of Workplace: 201 Woodlawn Road, Guelph, Ontario.
Description of Offence: A worker suffered serious burns resulting from a spark from the welding process. The employer should have provided apparel sufficient to protect the worker from injury.
Date of Offence: December 12, 2019.
Date of Conviction: January 12, 2022.
Penalty Imposed:
- Following a guilty plea in provincial offences court in Guelph, Skyjack Inc. was fined $100,000 by Justice of the Peace Stinson.
- The court also 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.
Background:
- On December 12, 2019, a Skyjack Inc. worker was employed as a certified welder. While the worker was welding an assembly, a spark from the welding process fell into the pocket of the worker’s denim apron, resulting in the worker’s clothing catching fire.
- The denim apron and coveralls that the worker was wearing were found to have several failures.
- This is contrary to section 84(e) of Regulation 851, R.R.O 1990 as amended.