Ontario company that provided drawings for concrete pour fined $75,000 after collapse on high-rise project injured two workers

Two workers pouring concrete on an interior floor. Photo: Matt/Adobe Stock

An Ontario company that provided drawings for a project has been fined $60,000, plus a victim fine surcharge, after two workers were injured while pouring concrete on a high-rise construction project.

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 in Markham, Ont., 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., based in Bolton, Ont., did not provide re-shoring drawings for the area of the collapse before the accident.

By failing to communicate clearly to its customer the necessity of appropriate re-shoring design and construction at and around the area of collapse, Aluma Systems Inc. violated section 87(1)(a) of Ontario Regulation 213/90, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The company pled guilty to the charges and was fined $60,000, plus a victim fine surcharge of $15,600, for a total penalty of $75,600.