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Court BulletinNouvelles judiciairesMinistry of Labour Ministre du Travail

13-19 For Immediate ReleaseFebruary 27, 2013

Pembroke Regional Hospital Inc. Fined $60,000 After Asbestos Violations

Pembroke, ON Pembroke Regional Hospital Inc. was fined a total of $60,000 for violations ofthe Occupational Health and Safety Act after workers were not adequately protected againstasbestos exposure.

On October 26, 2011, maintenance workers at the hospital drilled holes into a wall that wasassumed to have asbestos in its drywall joint compound. The drill was not equipped with aHEPA filter, and while the workers were wearing masks, no other precautions were taken toprotect them and other workers in the area from asbestos exposure. Also, the workers were not

told they would be working in an area containing asbestos and they were not trained on thehazards of asbestos, the personal hygiene to be observed around the substance, or the care anddisposal of protective equipment to be worn when doing the work.

Upon investigation, the Ministry of Labour also found that the supervisor who assigned the taskdid not have the required knowledge, training, or experience to identify work that could exposeworkers to asbestos or ensure the required safety measures and procedures were followed.

In a separate incident at the hospital between March 1 and April 15, 2012, workers drilled into aceiling and removed ceiling tiles where friable material could have been laying. The workerswere not given notice that the area they worked in could have asbestos-containing material and

they took no precautions to protect themselves or other workers in the area.

Pembroke Regional Hospital Inc. pleaded guilty, as an owner, to failing to ensure that:

workers were provided with information about the presence of asbestos workers were properly trained to work in an area containing asbestos material

Pembroke Regional Hospital Inc. pleaded guilty, as an employer, to failing to ensure that:

a competent supervisor was appointed, with respect to the workplace appropriate measures and procedures were used to protect workers from possible contact

with asbestos-containing materials.

The hospital was fined $15,000 for each violation.

The fines were imposed by Justice o

f the Peace Logue. In addition to the fines, the court imposeda 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge iscredited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

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For further information:

Media contact:

Matt BlajerMinistry of Labour416-326-7405

Court Information at a Glance

Location: Ontario Court of Justice141 Lake Street, Courtroom 1.

Pembroke, ON

J udge: Justice of the Peace Logue

Date of Sentencing: February 25, 2013

Defendant: Pembroke Regional Hospital Inc.

Matter: Occupational Health and Safety

Conviction: Ontario Regulation 278/05

Occupational Health and Safety Act, Section 25(2)(c)

Crown Counsel: Katherine Ballweg

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