January 31, 2012 – Marathon Drilling Co. Ltd., a Greely, Ont., construction company, has been fined $65,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) after a worker was shocked and burned.

On October 7, 2010, the company was drilling at a construction project on Albion Rd. in Ottawa. The company was using a boom truck to lift and move construction materials needed for the drilling work, and a worker was helping to place an auger being moved by the boom truck. The worker was holding the chains attaching the auger to the boom truck’s hook when the truck came into contact with an overhead electrical conductor. The worker received an electric shock and was seriously burned.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the cable of the boom truck was too close to the overhead electrical conductor at the time of the incident.

Marathon Drilling Co. Ltd. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the cable of the boom truck was kept away from the overhead conductor by at least the minimum distance prescribed by the Ontario Regulation for Construction Projects.

The fine has been imposed, along with a 25% victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.