Manitoba Labour and Immigration highlighted the importance of safe work procedures
A Manitoba company has been fined $25,000 following an incident three years ago that left a worker injured after being pinned by a falling tire.
The accident occurred on May 17, 2021, at K-Tec Earthmovers Inc. in Rosenort, rural municipality of Morris. K-Tec, a manufacturer of heavy-duty earth-moving scrapers, was unloading tires from a container when a safety failure resulted in a serious injury. According to the Winnipeg Sun, the forklift operator, with the assistance of another worker, was manually rolling tires out of the container and tipping them onto forklift forks for transfer to a skid. During this process, a tire from the row behind fell forward, crushing the worker against the container floor.
As a result, the worker sustained compression fractures in their back and neck and briefly lost consciousness. A forklift was used to remove the tire from the injured worker.
Following the incident, an investigation by Workplace Safety and Health officials occurred, which led to charges under the Workplace Safety and Health Act. According to the Winnipeg Sun, K-Tec Earthmovers pleaded guilty on February 22 to failing to develop and implement safe work procedures for tasks performed at the workplace, as required by section 2.1.1(a) of the regulation.
As a consequence, K-Tec was fined $25,000.
On Friday, Manitoba Labour and Immigration released a statement emphasizing the importance of developing and implementing safe work procedures for all workplace tasks. “Manitoba Labour and Immigration is reminding employers to develop and implement safe work procedures for work that is done at the workplace after an employer was prosecuted under the Workplace Safety and Health Act,” the statement said.
The incident highlights the ongoing need for rigorous safety protocols to prevent workplace injuries.
