Coldstream Concrete fined $75k for 2022 incident

A concrete precast product manufacturer has been fined $75,000 in connection with an incident that led to a worker’s critical injuries in 2022.

Coldstream Concrete Limited of Quaker Lane in Ilderton pled guilty to a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in provincial offences court. In addition to the fine, the company will pay a 25% victim fine surcharge.

The incident occurred on July 25, 2022 at the company’s facility in Ilderton, northwest of London. A worker was operating various lifting devices. The lifts were used to move concrete products in and out of a casting area located inside the company’s main building.

After delivering a product to the casting area, the worker returned to an outdoor yard using a forklift to collect another piece. While approaching a ramp that led to the main building, the forklift collided with a front-end loader travelling down the ramp.

The collision resulted in critical injuries to the forklift operator.

A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation determined that the incident could have been avoided had the company used a traffic management plan.