Sudbury steel fabricator fined for workplace death

The worker was using a 15-ton overhead crane to move the plate. It became unstable, shifted and slid until it struck the worker and pinned him to the ground, killing him.

High Strength Plates and Profiles Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure proper precautions and safeguards were taken to protect workers. The company was fined $110,000.

Justice of the Peace Pierre O. Leclerc imposed the fine.

In addition, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

High Strength Plates and Profiles processes high strength and abrasion resistant steel. Founded in 1985, the company maintains 63,000 square feet of production space at its facilities in Mississauga and Sudbury.