St. Catharines, ON. - JGB Developments Inc., carrying on business as JGB Roofing, of St. Catharines, was fined $30,000 on September 17 for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

On November 7, 2008, three workers were repairing a residential roof on Oromond St. S. in Thorold. A Ministry of Labour inspector visited the project in response to a complaint. After investigation, the inspector found that the workers were not wearing proper fall protection or head protection. Also, a ladder to the roof did not extend far enough past the roof's surface and it had a damaged rung. Furthermore, a wooden plank being used as a work platform had a crack along its length and it overhung its support too much at one end.

JGB Developments Inc. was found guilty after trial to failing to ensure that:

• workers were adequately protected by fall protection
• workers were wearing the personal protective equipment necessary to protect them from possible hazards
• the ladder extended at least 900 millimeters past the roof's surface
• the ladder was free from defective or loose rungs
• the wooden plank used as a work platform was free of any defects and it did not overhang its support by more than 300 millimeters

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Dan La Caprara. In addition to the fine, 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.