OTTAWA (The Canadian Press) — An Ottawa landscaping company has been fined $100,000 for the death of a worker who fell off a parking-lot entrance ramp at the National Gallery of Canada.
Lafleur de la Capitale pleaded guilty Wednesday to failing to take every reasonable precaution to protect a worker — a charge under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The worker was trying to get out of the way of an approaching car and fell about 4.5 metres onto the lot’s exit ramp.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found the company failed to identify worksite hazards, such as the lack of guardrails on the ramps and the open sides of nearby flowerbeds.
It also found that guardrails or fall-arrest devices could have prevented the fall.
The company must also pay a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, which goes to a provincial fund meant to assist victims of crime.
