Glass contractor fined $150,000 after supervisor killed during construction at York University

York University in Toronto. Photo: Google

A glass contractor has been fined $150,000 after one of its supervisors was killed while installing an exterior building panel at York University in Toronto.

York University contracted for the construction of a Continuing Studies Building located at 4700 Keele Street. The project started in March 2020.

Stouffville Glass Inc. was subcontracted by the constructor to complete the exterior and interior glass installation, as well as the installation of exterior aluminum panels.

On the day of the incident, a supervisor employed by the company was fatally injured after an exterior building panel fell while being hoisted into place at the sixth floor of the project.

A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation determined that taglines used to control the motion of the panel on the crane were not attached to the load, but instead were attached to a power grip used to hoist the load.

Following a guilty plea in Provincial Offences Court, Stouffville Glass, Inc. was fined $150,000. 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.