First annual review of fall-related construction deaths highlights training gaps, supervisory issues, and regulatory blind spots

A report released over the summer by Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner and spearheaded by lead coroner, Dr. Dirk Huyer, outlines key factors contributing to 26 fatal falls in the construction sector between 2017 and 2023. The Construction Death Review – Falls from Heights Annual Report is the first to emerge from new legislation mandating annual coroner-led reviews of accidental construction deaths .

The report examines systemic issues across the sector, drawing from a wider dataset of 131 fall-related fatalities between 2009 and 2024. It includes seven formal recommendations directed at provincial ministries and sector stakeholders.

“Each of the 26 deat

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