Media Release - Sturgeon Falls Company Fined $5 for Safety Violation
Sturgeon Falls Company Fined $5,000 for Safety Violation
Seal Tech prosecuted for unsafe digging practices
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Toronto, ON, February 11, 2016) – The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) successfully prosecuted Seal Tech, a Sturgeon Falls company specializing in waterproofing, for excavating without a locate, contrary to the Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems Regulation (Ontario 210/01).
The Ontario Court of Justice in North Bay accepted a guilty plea from Seal Tech and fined the company $5,000 plus the mandatory 25% victim fine surcharge for a total penalty of $6,250.
“These are serious violations of Ontario’s public safety rules that put homeowners and business, as well as excavators, in real danger,” said John Marshall, Director of TSSA’s Fuels Safety Program. “Thankfully no one was hurt, but public safety shouldn’t be left to luck. That’s why Ontario has stringent laws around pipeline safety, including a requirement to obtain a locate before breaking ground,” added Mr. Marshall.
In October 2013, a TSSA inspector received notice of an excavator digging without a locate at 1133 Jane Street in North Bay. Upon further investigation, TSSA determined that the excavation was being conducted by a Seal Tech employee who had not requested locates before digging. Furthermore, the employee had not received training on safe excavation in the vicinity of pipelines.
TSSA reminds the public that any excavation work must comply with Ontario’s safety laws, including obtaining a valid pipeline locate from the license holder or gas utility before breaking ground. Free locates can be obtained from Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 or visit http://on1call.com.
Ontario Regulation 210/01 prohibits interfering with or damaging a pipeline and any damage and/or subsequent release of gas should be immediately reported to the Ministry of Environment’s Spills Action Centre at 1-800-268-6060 or by contacting TSSA toll-free at 1-877-682-8772.
Full media release attached below.
