Ontario Roofing Director Fined Personally After Worker Falls 11 Feet from Unsecured Ladder
According to the Daily Commercial News, Reilly’s Roofing Ltd. and company director Adam Reilly were fined a combined $145,000 following a December 2023 incident in Mount Forest, Ontario, where a worker was critically injured after falling approximately 11 feet from an unsecured ladder. The ladder had been placed on frozen, uneven ground with no securing at the top or bottom, and no fall protection system was in place. After guilty pleas entered June 3, 2026, the company was fined $130,000 and Reilly personally was fined $15,000.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Personal liability is real. In Canadian jurisdictions, officers and directors can be fined individually when they fail to ensure required safety measures are carried out, not just the company.
- Ladder setup basics are non-negotiable. Frozen or uneven ground, no top or bottom securing, and no fall protection in the same incident signals how quickly multiple violations stack up.
- Pre-task checks protect everyone. Verifying fall protection systems are in place before workers climb is a simple control that could have prevented both the injury and the six-figure penalty.
