THUNDER BAY -- A Sudbury-based contractor has been fined $50,000 after a worker suffered injuries and lost consciousness during a fall while working at the Thunder Bay International Airport.
Pioneer Construction, which on Friday pleaded guilty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, had been contracted to resurface the airport's north runway in 2016.
On July 29, 2016, a float truck operator was working near the runway to secure a mobile office unit on the float truck. Once the unit was on the float truck, the worker was to climb to the top of the unit using a ladder to detach chains.
The worker had set up the ladder on the deck of the float truck. While he was on it, the ladder slipped backwards and down. The fall knocked the worker unconscious and caused unspecified bodily injuries.
The ladder had not been secured at the top and bottom to prevent movement, according to facts of the case supplied by the Ministry of Labour.
The court also imposed a 25 per cent victim impact fine surcharge.
