Windsor, ON – G&K Services Canada Inc., a uniform supplier, was fined $60,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured.

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.

London, ON – Omega Contractors Inc., a London construction company, was fined $52,000 for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured.

On May 27, 2009, the company was building sewers on Mornington St. in London. Workers had excavated part of the road and were working inside the excavation, in the rain. A piece of clay fell away from the excavation wall and partly buried one of the workers. The worker suffered broken bones and dislocated joints.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the wall of the excavation was not supported by a support system.

Omega Contractors Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the wall of the excavation was supported by an adequate support system.

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.

Woodstock, ON – Woodstock Stampings Inc., a Woodstock manufacturer of metal stampings, was fined $75,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured.

On December 21, 2009, a worker was setting up a new die set for press in the company’s Woodstock facility. The die did not have lower clamping feet to secure the lower die to the press bed, so the worker used a U-shaped clamp to secure it. When the press cycled during testing, the clamp was ejected from the press and struck the worker in the chest. A bone in the worker’s chest was broken and the incident caused the worker to have a heart attack.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that it was unusual for the facility to use a die set without clamping feet and the company had no protocols in place for dealing with this type of die set.

Woodstock Stampings Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to develop and implement safe procedures for setting up a die set in a non-standard condition.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Gary 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.