December 2, 2013 – JF Industrial Systems Inc. has been convicted of charges related to performing electrical work illegally and fined $25,000, after an employee was seriously burned when a machine on which he was doing electrical work exploded, showering him with molten metal, said Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).

The Windsor-area company was found guilty on one count of performing electrical work without an electrical contractor’s licence.

Under Ontario Regulation 570/05, Licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians, only Licensed Electrical Contractors are permitted to contract to perform electrical work in Ontario.

The company was hired in October 2011 to install new electrical equipment to existing machines at a local company. In January 2012, an apprentice in his 20s was removing a piece of electrical equipment from a machine, when the equipment caught fire and showered him with molten metal. The worker suffered severe burns and is not yet medically cleared to return to work.

“It’s extremely unfortunate that this incident resulted in a young man sustaining serious injuries with longterm effects that may change the course of his chosen career,” said Scott Saint, ESA’s chief public safety officer. “However, it is encouraging to see that the courts have sent such a strong message that doing electrical work without a licence has serious consequences. I believe that this case will serve as a deterrent to others who consider ignoring the law.”

ESA reminds consumers to follow The 3 Cs:

• check to ensure the contractor holds a valid electrical contractor licence, which you can search at www.esasafe.com,
• confirm they are arranging the appropriate inspections from ESA, and
• call ESA at (877) 372-7233 when you suspect someone is misrepresenting themselves.