Not providing a safe way for workers to reach its facility's rooftop has led to a hefty fine for a St. Thomas company after one of its workers was seriously injured in a fall.
Maxill Inc., which manufactures infection control products and is located at 80 Elm Street, pleaded guilty on Monday in its role in the injury of one of its workers.
Back on September 18, 2018, the worker was attempting to gain access to the roof by climbing a six-foot aluminum stepladder to reach a fixed access ladder attached to the side of the building. He was also carrying a five-gallon pail with tools and other equipment to inspect the drains on the roof.
While standing on the top cap of the stepladder, the worker reached for the fixed access ladder above and the stepladder tipped over. The worker fell from the top of the ladder to the concrete below and suffered a critical injury.
Following an investigation by the Ministry of Labour, it was found that there was no safe means of access to the roof of the facility. In particular, the bottom rung of the fixed access ladder was seven feet, three inches above the concrete ground. The ministry found that the employer failed to take reasonable precautions to ensure a safe means of access to the roof of the facility.
As a result of the guilty plea on Monday, Maxill Inc. has been fined $50,000 and the court has imposed a 25 per-cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
