M. Fuda Contracting fined $60,000 following worker's trench death in 2014 in Barrie in Ontario, Canada
By Cheryl Browne, Barrie Examiner
Tuesday, September 20, 2016 6:21:34 EDT PM
A local contractor pleaded guilty to a workplace accident that took a man’s life in 2014.
M. Fuda Contracting pleaded guilty to Ministry of Labour Occupational Health and Safety Act charges and was fined $60,000 relating to the death of a Woodville man who died in a trench on Feb. 4, 2014.
The incident occurred when workers were dismantling trench boxes from a 20-foot deep excavation site at Bayview Drive and Churchill Drive in Barrie’s south end.
Two workers were removing pins connecting two trench boxes that were stacked on top of each other. One worker stood on a ladder to reach the pin, but when the last pin was removed, the upper trench box shifted and the worker on the ladder fell.
Fuda Contracting management was not available for comment on Tuesday.
Steven Mitchell, 53, suffered head injuries and was initially taken to the Huronia Urgent Care Clinic but was soon sent to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre. He was later transported to St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto where he died of his injuries.
Ministry investigators determined the upper trench box was not stabilized during the removal of the pins, and that the workers had not received any training on how to safely removed trench boxes from an excavation site.
Justice of the Peace Susan Hilton fined M. Fuda Contracting $60,000 in the provincial offences court on Tuesday. An additional 25% victim fine surcharges was levied against the Barrie contracting company as well.