Excerpt from the government of Ontario’s ‘Newsroom’
A component that was being lifted by a sling struck a worker, causing injuries to the worker. The employer, in this case was Cyclone Manufacturing Incorporated, a provider of sheet metal fabrication, tube bending, welding and minor sub-assemblies of aerospace structural components tor aerospace companies located in Mississauga, Ontario.
On March 27, 2019, a Cyclone worker was assisting two co-workers with the rigging and flipping of a wing component. They were setting up a single-sling choker hitch on the wing which was being used to lift and flip the wing component. The component weighed roughly 2,000 pounds and measured about 22 feet in length.
The workers were attempting to steady the component to keep it from swinging while one operated the crane pendant to lift it from the supporting tables on which it was resting. These supporting tables had free-moving wheels that did not lock in place.
As the wing component was being prepared to be lifted off the tables with the single-sling choker hitch, the table that was supporting the wing on one side suddenly slid out. As the table slid out, one end of the wing became unbalanced, sloped to one side, and ultimately descended to the floor, pinning one of the workers to the floor. The worker was injured and required surgery.
The investigation by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development found that the single-sling choker hitch setup was commonly used at Cyclone to lift wing components from the supporting tables and flip them following processing, and had been used many times in the past. The process of flipping the wing using the single-sling choker hitch setup occurred approximately twice per week.
Because this method does not provide 360-degree contact with the load, it is not suited to moving long, heavy loads that are difficult to balance. The ministry also found that as part of the processing of the wing it was placed on supporting tables that were composed of a steel frame with four legs and a wooden top, with wheels at the bottom of the legs that move and do not lock in place.
Cyclone did not have a means of securing the wheels on the supporting tables used during the processing of the wing, causing one of the tables to slide out and the wing to drop, injuring the worker. In addition, the single-sling choker hitch set-up in use at the time of the incident was not suitable for the action of lifting the long, heavy wing component.
Following a guilty plea on December 01, 2020, Cyclone Manufacturing Incorporated was fined $60,000 in provincial offences court in Mississauga by Justice of the Peace Veruschka Fisher-Grant; Crown Counsel Alicia Gordon-Fagan.
The court also 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.
My opinion
The law(s) in contravention:
Cyclone Manufacturing Inc. was found guilty of a contravention of the Ontario ‘Industrial Establishments’ sector regulation 851/90, section 45, subsection (a) which states,
“Material, articles or things,
(a) required to be lifted, carried or moved, shall be lifted, carried or moved in such a way and with such precautions and safeguards, including protective clothing, guards or other precautions as will ensure that the lifting, carrying or moving of the material, articles or things does not endanger the safety of any worker.”
This is contrary to section 25, subsection 1(c) of the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) which states,
“An employer shall ensure that,
(c) the measures and procedures prescribed are carried out in the workplace.”
Overhead crane training MUST comply with the CSA B167, “Overhead Travelling Cranes, – The Design, Inspection, Testing, Maintenance and Safe Operation.”
The training has a 3-year renewal and the company MUST be compliance.
The problem I see here is that the operator did not have a complete 360 degree contact with the wing in the choker application. This is mandatory when lifting objects that may slide around and not balance. The second problem is the supporting tables without locks at the castors. Not acceptable!
Ensure your workplace is a safe place.
Remember – In Ontario, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”
‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.
Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Advanced Level
VP & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.