Ontario trenchless contractor and supervisor fined after hot-water exposure injures worker

A trenchless water-main rehabilitation contractor and a site supervisor have been fined a combined $147,000 after a worker suffered serious injuries from exposure to hot water during a water main relining job in Cambridge, Ontario.

Following guilty pleas in Kitchener Provincial Offences Court, the company was fined $140,000 and the supervisor was fined $7,000. The convictions were recorded on October 3, 2025, and the court also applied the mandatory 25% victim fine surcharge under Ontario’s Provincial Offences Act.

What happened

On July 11, 2023, the contractor was carrying out a municipal water-main rehabilitation project with a crew consisting of a site supervisor and five workers. The job involved installing a resin liner in approximately 100 metres of 16-inch water main. To cure the liner, water was heated in a boiler truck to around 65–70°C and circulated through the main for several hours.

During the final stage of the relining process, a worker was directed to remove a hose connection inside an access pit. The worker entered the excavation using wooden shoring and began removing the hose. In the process, the worker was exposed to hot water still circulating in the line and suffered serious injuries. The worker attempted to exit the pit, fell back during the first attempt, and climbed out on the second.

Investigation findings: egress delayed

The investigation found that a ladder was available at grade near the excavation but was not installed inside the pit at the time of the incident, delaying emergency egress.

Regulators concluded the employer failed to ensure the required measures and procedures were carried out for adequate means of egress from below-grade work areas—contrary to section 71 of Ontario Regulation 213/91 (Construction Projects) and the employer duty under section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The supervisor was also cited for failing to ensure compliance with egress requirements (stairs, runway, ramp, or ladder), contrary to section 27(1)(a) of the Act.

Awareness takeaway

This case is a reminder that “having a ladder on site” is not the same as “having safe egress in place.” For access pits and excavations—especially during high-risk end-of-task steps like disconnecting hoses and demobilization—egress must be installed, accessible, and verified before entry. A missed basic control can quickly turn into serious harm, downtime, and significant penalties.