The LCBO has pleaded guilty and been fined $80,000 after a worker was critically injured while operating a lift truck during a training session at a warehouse in London, Ont.
According to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, the incident happened on June 20, 2022, when workers were being trained to use a powered pallet lift truck.
Investigators found that the session was being led by a seasonal worker who was not certified to train others.
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
The trainer had experience using the equipment but gave only a brief overview, assuming participants had already completed theoretical training. The trainer proceeded to give an incomplete overview of how to complete a visual and operational inspection based on the employer’s checklist and manufacturer’s manual.
During the exercise, one worker operating the machine for the first time lost control and struck a steel storage rack, suffering a critical injury.
The ministry said the LCBO failed to provide proper information, instruction and supervision, violating a section of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Following a guilty plea in London’s Provincial Offences Court, the $80,000 fine was imposed on Aug. 28, 2025.
The court also added a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, which goes to a provincial fund supporting victims of crime.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
