Milton Company Fined After Worker Critically Injured in Workplace Incident
Published May 7, 2019 at 9:31 pm
A Milton company is facing a significant fine after a worker sustained a critical, and permanent, injury in a workplace incident.
A Milton company is facing a significant fine after a worker sustained a critical, and permanent, injury in a workplace incident.
The Ministry of Labour recently revealed that Recochem Inc. – a company that produces, packages, and distributes chemical products, a variety of household solvents, and cleaners – was fined $100,000.
According to the ministry, in the fall of 2017 a worker was operating a plastic blow-moulding machine at Recochem’s industrial establishment (8725 Holgate Crescent, Milton).
The machine, according to the ministry, manufactures 10-litre plastic bottles that are used in the production of various liquid products from the company’s product line.
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The worker was notified about issues with the quality of the bottles the machine was producing.
“While the machine was in operation, the worker opened a steel-framed door and climbed to the top of the machine to determine if there was a blockage in the exhaust pipe,” notes the ministry.
However, after reaching the top of the machine the worker tripped and fell and got caught in an area where sharp moving parts were opening and closing.
As a result, the worker suffered a critical injury, emergency medical services were dispatched, and the worker was transported to hospital.
An investigation by the Ministry of Labour revealed that there were no guards or other devices preventing access to the area of the machine where the incident took place.
In addition, the door where the worker entered the machine was not locked or equipped with an interlock.
“A Ministry of Labour inspector ordered Recochem to guard the machinery and the company complied by installing an e-stop and added additional guarding to the exterior of the machine.
Now, as mentioned, on May 3, 2019, following a guilty plea, Recochem Inc. was fined $100,000.
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