Three Ontario and Saskatchewan employers were fined after their workers were injured in separate workplace accidents, prompting the government to issue a workplace safety reminder. The first incident involved a wire manufacturer in Ontario who was fined $110,000 after a worker was injured in a workplace incident.
According to the court, the incident took place in June 2020 when the victim tried to conduct a quality check on a vertical drawing machine. The machine is on an elevated platform that can be climbed by stairs, and when workers try to climb it, they lose their balance.
“Instinctively stretching out his arms to prevent a fall, the worker’s gloved hand came into contact with the moving wire, causing the worker to be injured,” the ad read.
The Ontario Court found that the employer violated Section 25 of Industry Regulation 851/90, in violation of Section 25(1)(c) of the Revised Occupational Health and Safety Act (RSO, cO1). According to the court, the manufacturer did not ensure that the machine had guards or other devices preventing access to pinch points. After pleading guilty, the court fined the company $110,000 under the provincial crime code, as well as a 25 percent additional fine to the victim. The government said the surcharge would go to a special provincial government fund that would help victims of crime.
Meanwhile, in Saskatchewan, two other employers have also been fined by the courts for separate workplace incidents that hurt their workers. In the first case, an employer was fined $3,000 when a worker was seriously injured after sliding down a ladder and falling to the floor.
According to Weyburn Provincial Court, the employer violated sections 12(a) and 235(2)(b) of the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996. In addition to fines, employers are also charged an additional $1,200 per violation.
In another unrelated incident, an Assiniboa provincial court fined another employer $10,000 for a 2019 workplace accident in Wood Hills. According to an announcement from Saskatchewan, a worker was “severely injured after coming into contact with a live power line.”
The court found that the employer violated section 12(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 1996. In addition to the $10,000 fine, the employer was also fined $4,000.
Following the incident, the government urged employers to keep their workplaces safe and provide safety training to employees.
“Employers must provide safe and healthy workplaces and must provide workers with the information, training and supervision they need to perform their jobs safely,” the government said in a statement.
Post time: Jan-13-2023