Excerpt from the OH&S Canada Magazine
An Ontario steelmaker has received a total fine of $400,000 following separate incidents at the company’s operations in Hamilton, Ontario in which three workers received serious injuries.
Stelco Inc. entered the guilty pleas under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act in April. The Ontario Court of Justice heard that, on June 17, 2005, two workers suffered injuries when the company failed to take the necessary precautions to ensure that a shear blade was moved in such a way that its movement did not endanger the safety of a worker. The breach resulted in a $160,000 fine, the MOL reports.
In a separate incident, this time on November 11, 2005, a worker lost a leg below the knee after becoming pinned between equipment at Stelco’s sister plant. The company pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that adjustments, repairs and maintenance were performed on the machine only when motion that may endanger a worker had been stopped, and that any part that had been stopped that may subsequently move and endanger a worker, had been blocked, the ministry reports in a statement. The court imposed a $180,000 fine.
A third guilty plea, relating to a hearing on February 2, 2006, cited the failure to ensure a safety gate on a blast furnace at a Stelco location was fenced or guarded as required by provincial regulations. On this count, the company received a $60,000 fine.
My opinion,
I could not resist ensuring that the 200th blog posting concerned an extreme case of employee neglect. Stelco acquired 3 fines during an eight month time frame. The total, not including the 25% surcharge, was $400,000. Three workers suffered injuries and it looks like Stelco did not apply any safeguards at their facility, even after the MOL attempted to enforce the law and make Stelco assume permanent corrective action to the situation.
On behalf of HRS Group Inc., I would like to thank all those who have been my daily inspiration to continue to research and report all disreputable conduct occurring in the occupational workforce. Your kind words and comments have kept me going through all the hard work, and yes, it is time-consuming to read all the comments, edit them and still create more at the pace I have been. I do not want to lose the readership by becoming stale. I also welcome those that are only now reading the material from this site. I hope you enjoy the material as it seems some of my long term fans have up to now.
My inspiration comes from all of you and I promise to stay dedicated to the readership and continue to provide postings on occupational health and safety for as long as you will have me.
Remember — In Ontario, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”
HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety need. Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259.
‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.
Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Foundation Level
VP & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.
A lot of thanks for all of your efforts on this blog.
I believe this internet site holds some really fantastic information!
Write more, thats all I have to say.
I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this web site.
I am pleased to find this website through google.
Hello, I check your blogs on a regular basis. Your story-telling style is awesome, keep up the good work!
I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it.
Too cool!
You have done a magnificent process on this subject!
What I don’t realize is how you are now not actually a lot more well known!
I do agree with all of the concepts you’ve presented for your post.
Appreciate the recommendation. Let me try it out.
Hey just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading properly.
Cool blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it
from somewhere?
You have made some decent points here.
Generally I don’t read article on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me to try and do it!
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
I got what you intend, thank you for posting.
I was reading through some of your posts on this site and I think this website is very informative! Keep putting up.
Generally I don’t read post on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to check out and do so!
Awesome issues here.