Ontario Death Review Flags Worker Experience, Manual Misuse as Top Risks
Daily Commercial News reports that Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner has released its second Construction Death Review, examining 44 worker deaths between 2015 and 2023 (plus one from 1994) that occurred outside of fall-from-height incidents already covered in the first report. The review found 42 of those deaths stemmed from five hazards: heavy material or equipment, crushing, wall or trench collapse, electrical exposure, and elemental exposure. Two “significant concern” themes emerged: worker experience/inexperience and the underuse or misuse of manufacturer instructions and operating manuals, the latter linked to 11 fatalities. Notably, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays accounted for about 60% of incidents, and many deaths occurred at the start or end of shifts or around lunchtime. The report issued 14 recommendations, including a 12-month review of formwork system compatibility involving the Ministry of Labour, IHSA, the Ontario Formwork Association, UBC and LIUNA, plus clearer rules on solar PV electrical safety and enhanced supervisor training on complacency.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Formwork crews and GCs using multiple manufacturer systems on the same site should expect scrutiny once the 12-month compatibility review (MLITSD, IHSA, Ontario Formwork Association, UBC, LIUNA) concludes, and should document which systems are mixed and why.
- Solar installers and electrical subcontractors doing PV work should watch for MLITSD/IHSA consultation on trade authorization and safety rules, since the report specifically calls out solar photovoltaic hazards for regulatory clarification.
- Site supervisors overseeing new hires or workers on unfamiliar tasks should tighten pre-task planning and manual compliance checks, since 11 deaths tied to misuse of operating manuals and inexperience-driven complacency were flagged as leading causes.
