An electrical company has been given the largest fine in the Ontario industry's history after their faulty work led to the death of an elderly man.
Pro-Teck Electric had installed a heated bathroom floor in a Niagara-on-the-Lake home. An elderly man fell on that floor on April 5, 2014, according to a release from Ontario's Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). He suffered second and third-degree burns to his body, and died from his injuries weeks later.
According to an ESA investigation, the floor's heat sensor was not installed, and the heating system was set up with the wrong voltage, which led to the overheating.
Pro-Teck pled guilty to multiple charges in 2015, including leaving an unsafe electrical condition and failure to procure connection authorization before use, according to the St. Catharines Standard.
A spokesperson for the safety authority told the Standard that Pro-Teck did not file an application for inspection of the work being done, which is the law in Ontario.
Court 'delivered a strong message': safety officer
The Niagara Falls-based company was fined $537,500 on Thursday, which the ESA called the "largest fine in the history of electrical contractor licensing in Ontario."
The fine includes a 25 per cent surcharge, which goes to the Ontario government to assist victims of crime.
ESA chief public safety officer Scott Saint said he was "pleased the court has delivered a strong message."
"We are terribly saddened by this incident and it underscores how dangerous electrical work can be when it's not done properly," he said.
The ESA is reminding Ontario homeowners to check that electricians have proper contracting licenses and permits, and to ask for a certificate of inspection after work is done.