Ontario Construction News staff writer
Maple-based Direct Underground Inc. has been fined $250,000 after two workers were killed and two others injured during an excavation accident at a road widening project in Ajax.
The incident occurred on Aug. 8, 2022, when four workers were in an excavation trench installing a new sewer system for the project on Rossland Road, between Church Street and Westney Road. The north wall of the excavation collapsed, fatally injuring two workers and leaving the other two with non-fatal injuries.
A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation revealed that the company failed to ensure the excavation walls were properly supported. According to Ontario Regulation 213/91, a shoring system or appropriate sloping is required for excavations with weaker soil, which was present in this case.
Direct Underground Inc. was found in violation of several sections of the regulation, including a lack of engineering oversight and failure to implement the necessary safety measures. The company was convicted on Nov. 29, 2024, in the Provincial Offences Court in Oshawa.
Justice Lara A. Crawford imposed the fine, and the company must also pay a 25% victim fine surcharge, which will go toward a special government fund to assist crime victims.
The company had been contracted to install a storm sewer for the road widening project and was responsible for ensuring the safety of workers in the excavation area. The collapse of the wall was attributed to the failure to properly assess and support the excavation site, ultimately leading to the fatal incident.
