Excerpt from the government of Ontario’s ‘Newsroom’
Two workers, employed by Aluma Systems Inc. of Bolton, Ontario, were injured when the shoring under a concrete pouring operation collapsed. Aluma Systems Inc. failed to ensure re-shoring was supported and braced appropriately.
On May 6, 2021, 10 concrete finishing workers were pouring concrete from a pump truck onto a defined pour area on the third level of a high-rise building when the shoring under the pour area collapsed.
All 10 workers managed to escape the collapse by running toward the edge of the pour area as the floor beneath them was collapsing. Two workers were injured.
Concrete workers used drawings designed by Aluma Systems Inc. to build the shoring.
A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation found that at the area of the collapse, the design of the shoring was capable of withstanding all loads and forces likely to be applied.
However, the design of the re-shoring at and around the area of collapse was deficient and was a probable cause of the collapse.
Aluma Systems Inc. did not provide re-shoring drawings for the area of the collapse before the accident, and they failed to communicate clearly to its customer the necessity of appropriate re-shoring design and construction at and around the area of collapse.
Following a guilty plea in Provincial Offences Court in Newmarket, Ontario, Aluma Systems Inc. was fined $60,000 by Justice of the Peace Tina Rotondi. Crown Counsel was David McCaskill.
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.
My opinion
The law(s) in contravention:
Aluma Systems Inc. was found guilty of a contravention of the Ontario ‘Construction Projects’ sector regulation 213/91, section 87, subsection 1(a) which states,
“Formwork, falsework and re-shoring shall be designed, constructed, supported and braced so that they are capable of withstanding all loads and forces likely to be applied to them,
- without exceeding the allowable working loads established for any component of the structure.”
There were a few questions needed to be asked and answered before any work was to be done.
- Where was the engineering side of their business?
- Was the supervisor even aware of the associated hazards? and
- Was a JHA (Job Hazard Analysis) even completed?
All good questions but no answers. Getting very familiar, isn’t it?
HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety needs including “Due Diligence”.
Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259.
Ensure your workplace is a safe place.
Remember – In Ontario, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”!
‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.
Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Advanced Level
CEO & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.
You are the best!