Worker fatally injured while lubricating the Potato Line
Ontario employer Gwillimdale Farms Ltd.was fined $125,000 following the death of one of its workers.
Following a guilty plea in the Provincial Offences Court in Barrie, the employer was also tasked to pay a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.
The incident happened on Aug. 30, 2022. The week prior to the date of the incident, workers were preparing the Potato Line, a custom-designed system of hoppers, conveyors, cleaners and packaging equipment, for start-up. This included lubricating the line, which is done with the machinery running.
On Aug. 30, 2022, after the lead millwright went home, a trainee who was assigned other duties began lubricating the Potato Line alone.
The worker suffered fatal injuries, according to the Ontario government.A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation found that the line’s uptake conveyor was not equipped with a guard to prevent access to the pinch point.
“Gwillimdale Farms Ltd failed, as an employer, to ensure the measures and procedures prescribed by section 25 of Ontario Regulation 851 were carried out in the workplace, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act,” said the Ontario government.
“Since the incident, the company has taken a number of steps to enhance its guarding strategy, including additional guarding, third-party guarding assessments and a comprehensive review of the training provided to workers and supervisors,” added the provincial government.
