Excerpt from the government of Ontario’s ‘Newsroom’
On August 08, 2016, a worker working for I.G. Machine & Fibers Ltd., a company that produces residential and commercial roofing products, was pulled into the rollers of a laminator machine and suffered critical injuries.
A worker was operating a laminator machine at I.G. Machine’s workplace location on Orenda Road in Brampton. The machine was designed to automatically join asphalt and fiberglass materials together by the process of heat-welding; this process produces roof membranes for commercial roofing applications that prevent moisture penetration. The process involved feeding roofing material through large rollers.
While adjusting product that was being fed through the laminator machine rollers, the worker’s arms were pulled between the rollers. The machine had previously been guarded with an anti-nip bar that prevented access to the rollers, but it had been removed at the time of the incident.
The worker sustained critical injuries as a result of the incident.
Following a guilty plea, the company was fined $65,000 by Justice of the Peace Richard Quon in Brampton court; Crown Counsel Indira Stewart.
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:
I.G. Machine and Fibers Ltd., was found guilty of a contravention of the Ontario ‘Industrial Establishments’ sector regulation 851/90, section 25 which states,
“An in-running nip hazard or any part of a machine, device or thing that may endanger the safety of any worker shall be equipped with and guarded by a guard or other device that prevents access to the pinch point.”
I.G. Machine failed as an employer to ensure that the measures and procedures prescribed by the regulation were carried out at the workplace, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act which states,
“An employer shall ensure that,
(c) the measures and procedures prescribed are carried out in the workplace.”
I have witnessed too many machine guarding issues over the past year. It seems to crop up more often than not and the Ministry of Labour (MOL) has seen enough and is making Machine Guarding in the ‘Industrial’ sector a priority and will be have blitzes next year.
Please stay informed ensure your company is in full compliance. Check and recheck your “Guarding” to ensure that they are installed and are engineered properly. The standard is that the guard has to protect the worker from coming into a moving mart.
Simple enough, isn’t it? Well, you would think so!
HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety needs, including “Machine Guarding”. Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259.
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’, ‘Machine Guarding’ and ‘Standard Operating Procedures’. Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259.
‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.
Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Advanced Level
VP & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.
Thanks.