A Quebec paving stone company could be fined as much as $100,000 after pleading guilty to criminal negligence causing the death of an employee.

Transpavé pleaded guilty in December to the charge in connection with the death of Steve L'Écuyer, 23, who was crushed by heavy machinery at the company's plant in Saint-Eustache two years ago.

It's the first time a Canadian company has been held criminally responsible for a workplace death.

During sentencing arguments, which began Tuesday in St-Jérôme, both the Crown prosecutor and defence lawyers said the company should pay a maximum fine of $100,000, arguing that is appropriate because the business is small and has improved its safety procedures since L'Écuyer died.

The 23-year-old was crushed by an industrial machine used to stack concrete blocks at the Transpavé plant in October 2005.

Investigations by Quebec's Health and Safety Board (CSST) and provincial police found the company was negligent when it allowed L'Écuyer to operate the machine with its motion detector safety mechanism deactivated.

Transpavé has since reviewed safety procedures at its plant.

The sentence will be handed down March 17.

With files from the Canadian Press