March 5, 2012 – New Water Plumbing Inc., of Thornhill, Ont., has been fined $100,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) after a worker was electrocuted.

On December 23, 2009, two workers from New Water Plumbing were in the mechanical room of a Toronto condo tower. They had taken a large exhaust fan out of its housing, and as the workers were moving the fan, a light fixture they had moved out of the way swung back and hit the fan. Part of the light fixture was damaged, allowing its electrical charge to contact the fan. The worker holding the fan at the time was fatally electrocuted.

New Water Plumbing pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the fan was lifted, carried or moved in a way that would not endanger a worker.

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