Toronto, Ont. – Alpine Roofing (578898 Ontario Limited) of Toronto was fined $50,000 yesterday for violations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

Between June 24, 2008, and September 2, 2009, Ministry of Labour inspectors observed Alpine Roofing workers repairing roofs at three Toronto-area worksites without proper fall protection. In each case, workers were exposed to falls of greater than three metres.

Alpine Roofing (578898 Ontario Limited) pleaded guilty to four counts under the OHSA. Three counts were for failing as a constructor to adequately protect workers from fall hazards. The other count was for failing to comply with a stop-work order issued on June 24, 2008.

The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Joanna T. Opalinski. 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.

Hamilton, Ont. – Hamilton Specialty Bar (2007) Inc. was fined $60,000 on April 27 for a violation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) after a worker was injured at its factory in Hamilton.

On September 29, 2008, workers were installing a new part in a large furnace used to melt scrap metal. The furnace’s roof was open so that the part could be lowered into the furnace with a chain hoist. While one of the workers was guiding the chain by hand, the chain block, which protects the hoist’s pulleys, hit the open roof. This caused a piece of slag to fall about 12 metres and strike the worker who was guiding the chain. The worker’s arm, shoulder and back were injured.

Hamilton Specialty Bar (2007) Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to protect the worker from the falling slag.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Hugh J. Brown. 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.

Pembroke, Ont. – Sandvik Canada Inc. was fined $115,000 on April 26 for a violation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) after a worker was injured at its plant in Arnprior.

On May 14, 2008, a Sandvik worker was changing a die on a machine used to shape stainless steel tubes. During the changeover, the worker’s hand became caught in a pinch point between the machine’s rack-and-pinion gears, causing a serious hand injury.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the machine was not locked out.

Sandvik Canada Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the machine’s moving parts were stopped and blocked during the changeover.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Nancy Mitchell. 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.

Orangeville, Ont. – Jason Riedel, who owns The Riedel Needle tattoo shop in Orangeville, was fined $1,438.87 on April 14 for violating the Employment Standards Act (ESA). He had failed to comply with an order to pay wages.

The Ministry of Labour investigated a claim for outstanding wages filed by an employee. An order totalling $1,308.06 was issued to Mr. Riedel and was not paid.

The defendant was found guilty of failing to comply with an order issued by an employment standards officer.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Jacques Desjardins. 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.

Windsor, Ont. – Excel Heavy Haul Transportation Inc. was fined $50,000 on April 13, 2010, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that caused a serious injury to a worker.

On April 24, 2008, at the company’s facility in Tecumseh, a worker was attaching rigging to a machine so it could be lifted onto a trailer. Workers from Excel Machinery Sales, a related company, were helping. During the rigging process, a trailer was backed through an open bay door into the first worker, whose back was turned. The worker was pinned to the machine, and a protruding handle on the machine pierced the worker’s leg.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the trailer was driven by another worker employed by Excel Heavy Haul Transportation Inc. That worker had backed the trailer into the bay without a full view of the area behind the trailer, and without the help of a signaler, or someone to guide the trailer.

Excel Heavy Haul Transportation Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the driver used a signaler to help guide the trailer into the bay.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Susan Hoffman. 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.

St. Catharines, Ont. – DMI Canada Inc., carrying on business as DMI Industries, was fined $55,000 today for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that caused an injury to a worker. The company manufactures and sells windmills.

On March 26, 2009, workers were assembling windmill platforms at the company’s plant in Stevensville. They had used shackles to lift a pre-assembled platform onto a storage cart. One worker was removing the shackles when the cart tipped over, pinning the worker to a wall. The cart contained three platforms weighing about 125 kilograms each. The worker sustained internal injuries.

DMI Canada Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the platforms were placed in a manner that prevented them from tipping over.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace David Brown. 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.

Burlington, Ont. – Canadian BBR Inc. was fined $55,000 on April 13, 2010, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that caused an injury to a worker.

On August 1, 2008, the company had been subcontracted to work on a new bridge over Sixteen Mile Creek in Oakville. This was part of a project to reconstruct Dundas St. W. between Neyagawa Blvd. and Proudfoot Trail. A worker was using a machine to pull a wire through a duct when the worker’s fingers got caught in the machine’s pulley system. Several of the worker’s fingers were partially crushed.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that there were no guards on the machine to prevent a worker’s fingers from getting caught.

Canadian BBR Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the pulleys on the machine were guarded and/or fenced.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Barry Quinn. 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.

Ottawa, Ont. – Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited, a security printing company, was fined $75,000 on March 25, 2010, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that caused an injury to a worker.

On June 19, 2008, workers at the company’s plant in Ottawa were restarting a press machine. The machine has two hydraulically powered towers that come together to close the press. To restart the press, buttons on the inside of the towers had to be reset. A worker at the bottom of the towers opened the press slightly to get to the buttons. A second worker accessed the top of the towers by a catwalk to press one of the buttons. At the same time, a third worker at ground level pressed another button. This caused the press to start. The towers closed on the second worker’s hand, crushing fingers and fracturing the wrist.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the press was equipped with a start-up warning device. However this device did not sound when the press closed after being opened only a few inches.

Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the press was equipped with an automatic start-up warning device that sounded when the press was being closed from all positions.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Brian Mackey. 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.