James Dick Construction Fined After Worker Injured on Job

Web posted on November 01, 2012

Guelph, ON - James Dick Construction Limited, operating as Guelph Limestone, the operator of a Guelph quarry, was fined $50,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured.

On February 10, 2011, a worker at the quarry was in a rock truck waiting to deposit a load into a hopper. A second worker parked another rock truck behind this one and left the truck to talk to a third worker who had parked another vehicle in front of the first worker's truck. The second worker was standing between the first rock truck and the vehicle in front of it when the driver of the first rock truck moved forward. The driver had not seen the third vehicle or the worker on foot due to visibility limitations inside the rock truck. The worker on foot was pinned between the two vehicles.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that none of the workers had received traffic control training and a traffic control plan was not in effect.

James Dick Construction Limited, operating as Guelph Limestone, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that a worker was adequately trained in traffic control.

The fine was imposed by Her Worship Justice of the Peace Ann Johnson. 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.