18 year old was pinned between two transport trailers
Mintech Marketing has been fined $100,000, plus a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, for the death of a young worker at the company’s facility in Campbellford, Ont. The company collects and resells post-production plastic and other waste products.
On Jan. 16, 2017, Bailey McDonald, 18, was using a propane torch to melt and clear frozen ground around the landing gear legs of a transport trailer, which were stuck in the ground. After commencing the work, McDonald was left alone to complete the task.
At some point during the work, McDonald moved from the driver side to the passenger side leg of the landing gear. This placed him in a relatively narrow area between the trailer being worked on and another full trailer.
The trailer McDonald was working on fell forward and toward the passenger side where he was located. The trailer fell when the legs, which had been supported by the ice, collapsed upon being released from their hold.
The worker was fatally injured as a result of being pinned between the two trailers.
The trailer in question was not placed or stored so that it would not tip, collapse or fall, resulting in the incident, said the Ontario Ministry of Labour. This is an offence under section 45(b)(i) of the Industrial Establishments Regulation (Regulation 851) and section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Two charges had also been laid under the act against Dale McLellan and Wendy Coulombe as directors of Mintech, but they were withdrawn.
New and young workers in Ontario are more likely to be injured during the first few months on the job than other workers, and they are three times more likely to be injured during their first month on the job than at any other time.
This article originally appeared in the October/November 2018 issue of COS.
