Blog Post #1061 – Baked Goods Company Fined $70,000 After Worker Injured by Dough Machine

Excerpt from the government of Ontario’s ‘Newsroom’

On July 30, 2016, at FGF Brands Inc., 475 North Rivermede Road, Concord, Ontario, a commercial food manufacturing company that produces baked goods, a temporary worker was trapped and injured by a dough machine that had been started up while cleaning was being done.

Workers were assigned the task of cleaning a line of machinery that includes a hopper, dough chunker and conveyor belts. The temporary worker began cleaning the internal belt of the hopper, then needed the belt to be advanced in order to clean the underside of the hopper.

While other workers were trying to start movement of the hopper belt, the temporary worker began to clean the dough chunker.

While the temporary worker was reaching inside the chunker to scrape off dried dough, the ‘reset’ button was pushed on the chunker control panel, and the blades within the chunker rotated closed and trapped the temporary worker.

The worker was trapped until the equipment could be dismantled. The worker suffered critical injuries and was transported to hospital.

FGF Brands Inc. pleaded guilty and was fined $70,000 for failing as an employer to ensure that the measures and procedures in section 76 of the Ontario Regulation 851/90 – the Industrial Establishments Regulation – were carried out in the workplace.

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:

FGF Brands Inc. was found guilty of a contravention of the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) section 76 which states,

“Where the starting of a machine, transmission machinery, device or thing may endanger the safety of a worker,

(a) control switches or other control mechanisms shall be locked out; and

(b) other effective precautions necessary to prevent any starting shall be taken.”

This story is very similar to the David Ellis tragedy all those years ago. Why did no one learn from that accident? Why?

For those not aware of the David Ellis tragedy I have listed blog post #24 and ask that you, the reader, follow up and see how terrible the original accident was and the eerie similarities to this accident.

I had chills when I read this report.

Please learn from the mistakes from the past so that they will not be repeated in the future.

I was shocked to see this one. I really was!

HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety needs. Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259 We can also be reached at 

Ensure your workplace is a safe place.

Remember – In Ontario, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”

HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety needs including ‘Due Diligence’, ‘Lockout and Tagout’ and ‘Standard Operating Procedures’. Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259.

We can also be reached at 

‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.

Daniel L. Beal

CHSEP – Advanced Level
VP & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.