Coco Paving Inc., a Tecumseh road constructor, was fined $170,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was killed.
On June 1, 2011, Coco Paving Inc. was installing sewer and water main connections on MacKay Ave. in Windsor. Near the end of the day, the driver of a front-end loader went to retrieve dirt from a work area and take it to a stockpile farther down the street. Rather than turn the vehicle around, the driver operated it in reverse. While backing up, the front-end loader fatally struck a worker who was crossing the street.
Coco Paving Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that a vehicle at a project was not operated in reverse when there was a practical alternative to doing so.
The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Helen Gale. 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.
