This month, the safety blitz will focus on hazards involving access equipment such as ladders, work platforms or other elevating devices. The blitz will help keep construction sites safe by checking on practices related to access equipment, including:

•Worker training
•Safe use, inspection and testing
•Maintenance records and other documentation; and
•Rescue and emergency procedures.

On April 20, 2010, a worker at the Rieter Automotive Mastico Ltd. manufacturing plant at 1451 Bell Mill Road in Tillsonburg attempted to clear a clog in a picker, a machine with a large spiked roller used to mulch materials. The worker locked out the energy source of the machine before opening an access window to reach the clog. However, the roller was still in motion, requiring several minutes to slow down even after the power was turned off. The worker’s hand was caught by the roller and drawn into the machine, causing serious injuries.

Rieter Automotive Mastico Ltd. pleaded guilty, as an employer, to failing to ensure that the rotating roller on the picker was cleaned or adjusted only when motion that may endanger a worker had been stopped.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Frank McMahon. In addition to the fine, the court 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.

On March 13, 2007, a new power line was being built for a diamond mine north of Attawapiskat. Moose Band Development had been hired to cut trees to accommodate the new power line. Moose Band Development contracted Daak Enterprises to provide a feller buncher, a vehicle that cuts and gathers trees. The vehicle was composed of a cab on crawler tracks with a sawing apparatus, or feller head, attached to a moveable arm. Daak Enterprises also provided an operator for the vehicle.

About 30 kilometers outside Moosonee, the feller buncher operator had problems with the vehicle’s saw. A repair crew from Moose Band Development went to help. While attempting to fix the vehicle, a member of the repair crew was pinned between the vehicle’s feller head and its tracks. The worker was killed.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the vehicle’s arm and feller head were never secured in place to prevent movement during the repair.

Moose Band Development Corporation and Daak Enterprises Ltd. both pleaded guilty, as employers, to failing to ensure that a blocking system was installed on the feller buncher when it was being repaired.

The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Alex Spence. In addition to the fines, the court 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.

On November 1, 2006, four former spa employees filed claims with the Ministry of Labour for wages owing to them after their termination. An Employment Standards officer determined that the company owed its former employees $4,714.13 in total and issued four orders to pay wages. The company never complied with the orders.

Equinox Centre For Natural Health Inc. was found guilty of four counts of failing to comply with an order issued by an Employment Standards officer. In addition to the $12,000 fine, the court ordered the company to pay its former employees $4,714.13 in outstanding wages.

Fred Phillips was found guilty of four counts of permitting the company to ignore an order issued by an Employment Standards officer and fined $5,000.

The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Carol Seglins. In addition to the fines, the court 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.

On June 3, 2009, Barabco Design/Build Inc. was the constructor at a project on Meadow Wood Rd. in Mississauga. Dustin Greer was the supervisor at the project when a worker fell from a pitched roof, fracturing an arm. The worker was not wearing any fall protection.

On June 12, 2009, Mr. Greer told a Ministry of Labour inspector that the worker had tripped and fallen from a window opening, which was not the case.

Dustin Greer pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that a worker was adequately protected when working from heights. Mr. Greer also pleaded guilty to knowingly furnishing an inspector with false information.

The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Michael Barnes. In addition to the fines, the court 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.

On November 13, 2009, at the company’s facility in St. Catharines, a worker was using a table saw to cut a wooden part for a cabinet. Mr. Tissen was helping the worker. Towards the end of the cut, the worker noticed a fragment of wood coming loose and reached to grab it. The worker’s hand came in contact with the saw blade and three of the worker’s fingers were amputated.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the table saw was equipped with a guard to prevent access to its moving blade, but the guard was not in use.

The Elmwood Group Limited pleaded guilty to failing, as an employer, to ensure that the table saw was guarded to prevent access to its moving blade. Jake Tissen pleaded guilty to failing, as a supervisor, to ensure the same.

The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Dan MacDonald. In addition to the fines, the court 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.

On June 9, 2009, at the company’s Brampton scrap yard, a machine made for shredding metal was shut down for maintenance. The shredder had a dome lid that could be opened for access to its interior. The dome lid was opened using a hydraulic system and secured in place with a pin. After maintenance work on the shredder, one worker removed the pin while a second worker activated the hydraulic controls so that the lid could close. The first worker went away and some time later the second worker was found trapped in the shredder, between the dome lid and base.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that during the shredder’s maintenance, there were no guards or devices in place to prevent access to the shredder’s pinch point. Additionally, the company did not have a procedure to ensure that the shredder was clear of equipment and workers before its lid was closed.

Triple M Metal Corp. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the shredder was equipped with a guard or other device to prevent access to its pinch point.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Michael Barnes. In addition to the fine, the court 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.

On December 17, 2008, at the company’s Sault St. Marie facility, a worker opened a door, slipped on a wet surface and fell to the ground. The worker suffered a fracture to the arm.

Algoma Tubes Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the floor was kept free of hazards.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace James Bubba. In addition to the fine, the court 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.

On October 14, 2009, Resform Construction Ltd. was at a condominium construction project on Lakeshore Blvd. W. in Etobicoke. A carpenter was cleaning a work surface that had a hole in its floor. The carpenter lifted up a panel lying on the floor and walked forward. The worker did not know that the panel was covering a hole in the floor. The worker fell through the newly-opened hole to concrete below.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the panel was not secured against movement and it was not identified as covering an opening in the work surface.

Resform Construction Ltd. pleaded guilty to failing, as an employer, to prevent a worker from falling through an opening in a work surface by either installing a guardrail or protective covering as prescribed. Justin Lowes pleaded guilty to failing, as a supervisor, to ensure the same.

The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Mary Ross-Hendricks. In addition to the fines, the court 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.

G&K Services Canada Inc. operates an industrial laundry service at its Windsor facility. As part of the laundry process, clothing is placed in a bag with a drawstring at the bottom. The bag moves vertically along a conveyor until it gets to a sensor at the end. When the bag hits the sensor, it is hoisted up into the air.

On September 24, 2009, a worker noticed that the drawstring on a bag was not tied. The worker attempted to tie the bag while walking with it along the conveyor. When the bag hit the sensor, it was hoisted up. The worker’s thumb was entangled in the bag’s drawstring, and the worker was lifted into the air with the bag. The worker’s thumb was amputated by the force of the moving bag.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the emergency stop button on the bag hoist was too high up for a worker to reach in an emergency.

G&K Services Canada Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the emergency stop button on the bag hoist was located within easy reach of the machine operator.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Robert Gay. In addition to the fine, the court 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.