Excerpt from the OH&S Canada magazine
An employee of a steel-fabrication company was hospitalized after an industrial accident at a food-preparation facility in Mississauga, Ontario on August 06, 2017.
The Peel Regional Police (PRP) received a call at about 3:10pm that day, according to PRP media-relations officer Constable Mark Fischer. (He had a serious injury and was transported to a trauma centre in Toronto,” says Constable Fischer about the victim. “The Ministry of Labour (MOL) will be taking over the investigation, and at this point, it doesn’t seem to be criminal in nature.”
Janet Deline, a communications representative with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, confirms that the incident occurred at a baking facility belonging to Furlani’s Food Corporation. The victim is an employee of GForce Custom Fabrication & Installation Inc., based in St. Clements, near Kitchener-Waterloo.
“The worker sustained a critical injury to his/her leg,” Deline says. “Our inspector was on the scene and issued one order, and that is to secure the scene,” she adds.
My opinion
The reader may not be familiar with the term “critical injury” which is defined under Ontario regulation 834 which states,
“For the purposes of the Act and the Regulations,
“critically injured” means an injury of a serious nature that,
(a) places life in jeopardy,
(b) produces unconsciousness,
(c) results in substantial loss of blood,
(d) involves the fracture of a leg or arm but not a finger or toe,
(e) involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot but not a finger or toe,
(f) consists of burns to a major portion of the body, or
(g) causes the loss of sight in an eye.”
I wonder if Furlani’s Food Services understand that they are responsible for everything that happens at their facility. A completed hazard assessment by the contractor should have been demanded by the Furlani’s prior to any work being done.
They will be found guilty in the end but it doesn’t change the fact that all employers need to understand that contractors are deemed to be the same as employees and are to be protected.
GForce Custom Fabrication needed to read section 25, subsection 2 (a) which states,
“An employer shall,
- provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker to protect the health or safety of the worker.”
Please ensure that 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’ 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.