Guelph company and worker fined for fatal fall

A stock photograph of a judge using the gavel. (Pexels/Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA)

A company from Guelph and a worker are facing hefty fines for the death of a truck driver.

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development announced the decision regarding the Oct. 7, 2024 death on Tuesday.

Both the company, Ralston Metal Products, and an employee pleaded guilty. A news release said the company failed, as an employer, to ensure measures and procedures were properly followed while the worker failed to comply with a regulation stating that mobile equipment can only be used to transport a person if they are in a permanently installed seat.

The company was fined $175,000 and the individual was fined $20,000.

What happened?

The ministry said a truck driver went to Ralston Metal’s Watson Road South location to pick up an electrical enclosure. Once the product had been loaded onto the truck using a forklift, the truck driver climbed onto the truck bed to secure the load. They then asked for help getting down.

A worker used an order picker to help the driver down. However, once the driver climbed onto the platform and the worker turned to use the controls, the driver fell 51 inches (or 1.29 metres) to the ground and died.