Newmarket, Ont. – Jeld-Wen of Canada Ltd., a Toronto window and door manufacturer, was fined $50,000 on October 21, 2010, for a violation the Occupational Health and Safety Act that caused an injury to a worker.

On June 3, 2008, at the company’s manufacturing facility in Vaughan, a worker was using a table saw to cut a piece of wood. The saw blade had a guard on it, but the saw would not make the required cut if the guard was left in place. A supervisor advised the worker to remove the guard to make the cut. The worker’s hand made contact with the unguarded blade while making the cut. The worker partially lost two fingers.

Jeld-Wen of Canada Ltd. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the table saw was equipped with a guard or other device to prevent access to its blade.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Carol Seglins. 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.