After a year and a half of investigation, an Orillia, Ont., man and a crane company have been charged with criminal negligence after a man was crushed to death when the crane tipped over.
On Thursday, June 24, 2021, Barrie police were called to a construction site on Dunlop Street West after a serious workplace incident.
Police say the crane used at the site had tipped over, causing a 52-year-old employee to be knocked over and pinned under several steel beams.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
A joint investigation by the Barrie Police Service and the Ministry of Labour determined that the employee operating the crane at the time of the incident was not licensed to operate the crane.
On Tuesday, Nov. 29, a 60-year-old Orillia man was arrested and charged with criminal negligence causing death.
He was released on an undertaking with a future court date.
In addition, it was determined that the crane that was involved had been mechanically altered to allow it to extend past its rated capacities.
On Thursday, Dec. 1, police also charged the company responsible for supplying and installing structural steel at the site with criminal negligence causing death.