Grimsby man fined $20K for barn collapse

A construction project that collapsed due to wind load and a lack of bracing and proper anchoring has led to a $20,000 fine against the man in charge of the project.

A storage barn was being built on a residential farm property located at 3357 Reg. Rd. 12, West Lincoln. On Nov. 24, the partially-built, wood-framed storage barn collapsed.

The property owner had hired Tom Ivezic of Grimsby to undertake the construction of the storage barn, which was about 120 feet long and 60 feet wide.

At the time of the collapse, the four walls and the roof of the storage barn had been erected on top of the structure’s concrete foundation.
However, none of the walls had been braced to prevent their movement or collapse, and the anchor bolts connecting the walls to the foundation had not been secured.

The constructor, Ivezic, failed to meet a number of requirements. He failed to file a Notice of Project relating to the construction of the storage barn, and failed, as a constructor, to give notice in writing to a Ministry of Labour inspector within two days of the structural failure of the storage barn, as required under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Following the collapse of the barn, Ivezic failed to furnish all necessary assistance to facilitate an investigation by a Ministry of Labour inspector; over the course of several months, the Ministry of Labour inspector made multiple attempts to contact Ivezic, and left him multiple messages but received no response.

The court, with Justice of the Peace Dan La Caprara presiding, fined Ivezic a total of $20,000 in Welland on last Thursday, Feb. 9.

The court also imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.