Worker pulled into pinch point on moving conveyor
Clean Water Works of Ottawa has been fined $100,000 after a worker received a permanent critical injury after being caught in a moving conveyor. The court also imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The company provides environmental remediation services such as hazardous waste disposal, tank cleaning, contaminated soils and lagoon cleanings as well as plumbing and sewer rehabilitation services to the residential, commercial, industrial and institutional sectors.
On Jan. 18, 2018, a worker employed by Clean Water Works Inc. was assisting with the preparation of a liner designed for sealing leaks in sewer lines.
The worker was pulled into the pinch point of an in-running nip hazard created by two rollers on a moving conveyor known as the wet-out plant conveyor.
The worker sustained critical injuries.
An investigation of the incident by the Ministry of Labour concluded that Clean Water Works did commit the offence of failing, as an employer, to ensure that the measures and procedures prescribed by section 25 of Ontario Regulation 851 (the Industrial Establishments Regulation) were carried out in the workplace. This was contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Specifically, Clean Water Works failed to ensure that the in-running nip hazard on the machine known as the wet-out plant conveyor was guarded by a guard or other device that prevented access to the pinch point.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Labour
