Ontario Construction News staff writer
A Toronto contractor has been fined $80,000 after a worker died in a fall at a home renovation site, Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development said Tuesday.
KAS Aluminum & Copper Ltd., at 14 Elsfield Rd., pleaded guilty in Toronto’s Provincial Offences Court to failing to ensure a worker used fall protection when exposed to the hazard of falling more than three metres, contrary to Ontario’s Construction Projects Regulation and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The incident occurred on Oct. 11, 2023, during a residential renovation project in Toronto. A worker was assisting the company’s owner, who was also their supervisor, with the installation of windows and siding. The worker was standing on a veranda roof about 3.6 metres above ground when they began climbing a ladder to pass a tool to the supervisor on the main roof. The worker fell backward to the ground and died from their injuries.
A ministry investigation determined that neither the worker nor the supervisor was using fall protection at the time, even though the equipment was available in a company truck on site. Investigators also found the worker had not completed the mandatory Working at Heights training required for anyone performing tasks at elevated levels.
Following the guilty plea, Justice of the Peace Jane Hawtin imposed the $80,000 fine on July 11, 2025. Crown counsel was Graeme Adams. The court also added a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, which will go to a provincial fund supporting victims of crime.
The ministry said employers must ensure workers are protected from falls of more than three metres and that those performing such work have the necessary safety training.