A GTA-area roofing company has been fined $55,000 after pleading guilty for failing to ensure fall protection was in place to protect workers.  
 
According to the Ministry of Labour (MOL), Always Roofing Limited was hired to replace a roof on a building in Brampton. During work on this project, a skylight was removed leaving a hole in the roof. On December 7, 2015, a worker fell through this opening, dropping 27 feet to the ground and suffering critical head injuries.
 
On January 16, 2018 Always Roofing plead guilty for failing as an employer to ensure that a guardrail system or protective covering was used to prevent a worker from falling through an opening on a work surface as prescribed by section 26.3(2) of Ontario Regulation 213/91 (Construction Regs). In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge.

Mandatory working at heights training

Beyond the legal obligation to provide adequate fall protection, employers must ensure construction workers in their employ who may use fall protection equipment, such as a travel restraint or fall arrest systems, complete a MOL-approved working at heights training (WAH) program. This must be done before they start work at heights and use fall protection equipment.
 
This initial WAH training is valid for three years from the date of successful completion of an approved program. For continued compliance, employers must ensure workers they employ complete an approved WAH refresher training prior to the expiration of this three-year period.
 
For those employers who complied with the initial training requirement in April, 2015, or shortly thereafter, the three year training validity period is fast coming to an end and refresher training is required. Successful completion of this training will re-validate WAH training compliance for another three years.

WHSC working at heights training

Workers Health & Safety Centre has been the leading provider of MOL-approved Working at Heights training. With our recently released, MOL-approved Working at Heights Refresher program, we are now prepared and committed to meet the new demand for this life-saving training. 
 
Our comprehensive WAH training and refresher training is:

• designed to ensure critical learning is achieved,
• delivered by experienced instructors from the trades, and
• supported by complete training records and replacement cards when needed.

Need to comply with mandatory working at heights training?
Register today for upcoming training scheduled in communities across Ontario
 
Don’t see a date that works for you or want additional information?
Call 1-888-869-7950 and ask to speak to a WHSC training services representative. With enough participants we can bring this training directly to your work site or facility.

Need more information still?
Check out our online working at heights information resources.