Sudbury Company Guilty of Elevator Violation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Timmins, ON, March 27, 2008) – A Sudbury company, Ontario 1039434 Ltd., pled guilty today to a serious public safety violation, contrary to Ontario Regulation 209/01 (Elevating Devices) under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 (the Act), and was consequently fined $20,000 plus a 25% Victim Surcharge by the Ontario Court of Justice in Timmins given the circumstances of the case.

In June 2007, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) investigated mechanical problems with a passenger elevator owned and operated by Ontario 1039434 Ltd. at St. Mary’s Manor in Timmins Ontario. The owner was subsequently charged with five counts against the Act for its unsafe operation. With a summons to first appear in court on August 16, 2007, Ontario 1039434 Ltd. pled guilty today to the first count – failing to ensure the elevating device was not used or operated unless maintained by a registered contractor – levied with a fine of $20,000.

In the province of Ontario, all elevating devices, including passenger elevators, construction hoists, dumbwaiters, observation elevators, freight elevators, material lifts, man lifts, stage lifts and lifts designed for persons with physical disabilities, are inspected using a risk-based inspection model to ensure compliance with the Act and Regulation.

In addition to scheduled periodic inspections, TSSA routinely performs follow-up inspections where records indicate outstanding elevating device inspections or issues of non-compliance. “Prosecution for non-compliance with Ontario’s elevating safety laws is an important enforcement tool,” says Roland Hadaller, TSSA’s Director of Elevating Devices and Amusement Devices Safety Program. “Preventative maintenance, however, continues to be the cornerstone of elevator safety.”

About TSSA

TSSA is an innovative, self-funded, non-government organization focused on delivering public safety services. It provides not-for-profit regulatory safety services in industry sectors such as fuels, amusement devices, elevating devices, ski lifts, boilers and pressure vessels, operating engineers, and upholstered and stuffed articles. The organization’s vision is to be the world leader in public safety services.

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For more information, please contact:

Dave Lisle, Director, Public Relations and Communications, TSSA
Telephone: 1-877-682-8772; Email: media@tssa.org
For more information about the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, please visit
www.tssa.org