Service NL
August 1, 2014

Roofing Company Faces OHS Charges in Provincial Court

Service NL announced today that McCarthy’s Roofing Ltd., a supervisor and two workers have been charged with violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations. The charges resulted from an investigation by the Occupational Health and Safety Division and related to inspections that occurred in Corner Brook on May 16, 2014. The charges were laid on June 24, 2014.

Two inspections occurred on May 16, 2014, at the Corner Brook Canadian Tire store located in Murphy Square. An Occupational Health and Safety Officer observed workers on the roof who were using fall protection equipment incorrectly. On the first inspection, harnesses were being worn but they were not attached to the existing anchorages. On the second inspection that day, one worker was not connected to an anchorage and the second worker was connected incorrectly to the equipment. The supervisor was not present on either occasion. Neither of these inspections were the result of incidents or incidents involving injuries.

The company was charged with failure to provide the necessary supervision to ensure the safety of workers and with failure to ensure that workers were provided with a suitable fall protection system. The supervisor was charged with failure to ensure that workers under his supervision used equipment that is required under regulation. The two workers were charged with failure to use equipment provided for their protection in accordance with the instructions for use and training provided.

The first appearance was in Corner Brook Provincial Court on June 24, 2014, and the second is scheduled for August 5, 2014.

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Media contact:
Vanessa Colman-Sadd
Director of Communications
Service NL
709-729-4860, 682-6593
vanessacolmansadd@gov.nl.ca
  
2014 08 01                                        11:50 a.m.