Excerpt from the OH&S Canada magazine (Oct. 2016)
The Workplace Safety and Health branch (WSH) of Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade ministry announced August 16, 2016, that it had issued fines totalling more than $111,000 to the following six employers from March to mid-July for contravening Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health Act.
Dunsire Building Services Ltd. was issued a fine of $18,000 on March 03, 2016, over an incident on July 15, 2013, in which an employee fell from an eight-foot ladder while trying to repair a sign at a strip mall. Dunsire pleaded guilty to failing to provide supervision for an apprentice.
Glendale Industries Ltd. was fined $15,000 on April 28, 2016, after pleading guilty to failing to implement safe work procedures for installing a work platform above sodium-chlorate dryers. A worker from the Brandon firm was seriously injured by sparks from a hand grinder, which ignited sodium chlorate on his pants on April 11, 2013.
Amsted Canada Inc. was fined $32,550 on June 02, 2016, after an employee was burned by a steam explosion that occurred when his slag shovel accidentally added moisture to molten metal on May 01, 2014. Amsted pleaded guilty to failing to implement safe work procedures for removing slag.
Plains Industrial Hemp Processing Ltd. was given a penalty of $20,000 on June 22,2016, for failing to ensure that a processing machine has a safeguard to keep workers from contacting moving parts. A worker’s right arm was seriously injured when he tried to remove hemp from a jammed machine in Gilbert Plains on February 03, 2014.
V&R Electrical Ltd. was penalized $12,550 on June 27, 2016, after an employee suffered seriously face and neck burns by an arc flash when removing electrical cable from a splitter box on May 02, 2014. The Portage la Prairie firm pleaded guilty for failing to train workers on working safely with energized electrical equipment.
Ecologic Spray Foam Insulation was sentenced to a fine of $13, 050 on July 14, 2016, after pleading guilty to failing to develop an asbestos-control plan to stop asbestos from contaminating the air. A worker with the company had trouble breathing after removing insulation on June 06, 2013.
My opinion
Where do I start!
- Machine Guarding,
- Electrical Arc Flash,
- Designated Substance, Asbestos contamination.
Where is the deterrent here?
Any of the fines, especially the ones listed above, would have necessitated a much larger fine for each.
The ARC flash accident would have delivered, at least, a fine of over $75,000 in Ontario and the Machine Guarding would have been about the same.
The asbestos-related incident would have cleared a fine of $90,000 or more, again in Ontario, since asbestos is a designated substance and needs special evaluation, assessment and controls. My worry is the long term condition of the worker involved because some asbestos-related diseases may take 20 or more years to manifest itself. (Called LATENCY PERIOD)
Wow, what a joke!
HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety needs including ‘Electrical Safety Awareness’, ‘Lockout and Tagout’ and ‘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”
‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.
Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Advanced Level
CEO & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.