‘Understanding employer responsibilities related to safety and health is an important part of preventing injuries in the workplace’
Two Manitoba employers recently pleaded guilty to violations under Section 16.5(1)(a) of the Workplace Safety and Health Regulations, M.R. 217/2006, according to SAFE Work Manitoba.
The first was guilty of the charge of failing to ensure that a table saw had safeguards on it that would prevent a worker from coming into contact with the moving parts of the machine.
A worker was cutting strips of mahogany with an unguarded table saw to construct a prop desk. The worker noted that the mahogany he was cutting was binding. He hit the stop button on the table saw and, as the saw blade was coming to a stop, the worker's left hand made contact with the blade. As a result, the worker suffered an amputation and significant tendon damage.
The employer was fined $11,000, plus an additional $3,450 for court costs and $1,250 payable to the Workplace Safety and Health Branch to be used for the purpose of educating the public on matters relating to workplace safety and health.
Meanwhile, the second employer failed to ensure that a conveyor machine had safeguards on it that would prevent a worker from coming into contact with the moving parts of the machine.
A worker was preparing seed potatoes. Potatoes travel along conveyors where workers manually cut them. The potatoes then continue along the conveyors to a seed-treating drum where a chemical is applied to help prevent fungus and insect infestation. The worker was required to check the drum occasionally to ensure that the chemical was being correctly applied. While inspecting the drum, the worker's left hand made contact with the conveyor's exposed chain and sprockets. The worker suffered serious injuries to their hand.
The employer was fined $18,500, an additional $5,550 for court costs and a $4,625 Victim Services Surcharge, plus $2,000 payable to the Workplace Safety and Health Branch to be used for the purpose of educating the public on matters relating to workplace safety and health.
A third Manitoba employer recently pleaded guilty to Section 4(2)(b) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act C.C.S.M. c. W210 to the charge of failing to provide its worker with information, instruction, training and/or supervision to ensure the safety and health of the worker.
A worker was covering an opening at the top of a flour bin. The worker fell through the flour bin opening to the ground below and suffered critical injuries.
The employer was fined $40,000, plus an additional $12,000 for court costs and an $8,000 penalty payable to the Workplace Safety and Health Branch to be used for the purpose of educating the public on matters relating to workplace safety and health.
“Understanding employer responsibilities related to safety and health is an important part of preventing injuries in the workplace,” said SAFE Work Manitoba.
SAFE Work Manitoba offers injury prevention information, including:
- Guideline for Safeguarding Machinery and Equipment
- Machine Safeguards: The Basics
- Safety and Health Orientations
- New Worker Orientation and Training Guide
Recently, the Corporation of the City of London in Ontario was fined $70,000 for failing, as an employer, to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker, which is an offense under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Also, Agricultural company Shilo Farms Ltd. was fined $28,675 and an additional $2,000 to be used for educating the public on occupational safety and health for violating the same act which resulted in a worker injury.
