CSTC - Certified Safety Training Center Ltd.

Jauary 2008

Ministry of Labour: Wescast Industries Inc. fined $240,000 for health and safety violation

GODERICH, ON, Jan. 25 /CNW/ - Wescast Industries Inc., a Brantford, Ont.-based manufacturer and supplier of engine components used in light cars and trucks, with a factory in Wingham, Ont., was fined $240,000 on January 23, 2008, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in the death of a worker.

On July 14, 2006, a worker was working in a steel melting area when the worker was crushed between the furnace's hood and a "lip" (a vibrating steel plate) that was extending on a "charge car" (a vehicle that carried and
delivered scrap metal to a row of furnaces). The worker died. The incident occurred at the company's factory at 200 Water Street in Wingham, about 55 miles (88 kilometres) northwest of Kitchener, Ont.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found the charge car was being operated by a second worker from a control panel inside a control room. From that position, the second worker was unable to see the entire path of the
car's travel. In particular, the second worker could not see the area where the first worker was working.

Wescast Industries Inc. pleaded guilty, as an employer, to one count of failing to take the reasonable precautions of:

ensuring that workers were not endangered by moving parts of the car;

ensuring that the car's operator had a clear and unobstructed view of the entire area the car could operate in, including the area where workers had access; and

ensuring that the car was operated as recommended in the car's installation, operation and maintenance instructions.

This was contrary to Section 25(2)(h) of the act. The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Robert Gay of the Ontario Court of Justice in Goderich. In addition, the court imposed 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.

Ministry of Labour: Chicken processor fined $150,000 in death of worker

BARRIE, ON, Jan. 7 /CNW/ - A Bradford-based commercial chicken processing company pleaded guilty and was fined $150,000 in the Ontario Court of Justice today in connection with the 2006 death of a worker.

Justice of the Peace Brian O. Norton heard that on April 7, 2006, a worker at the Sure Fresh Foods Inc. plant at 3855 4th Line, Bradford, had entered an empty 80,000 litre water tank to weld a crack. When the welding
torch was ignited an explosion occurred. The worker suffered third degree burns and died in hospital.

Investigations by the Ministry of Labour and the Office of the Fire Marshall found that the fuel source for the explosion was clear and odorless, naturally occurring methane gas that had likely entered the tank in the water
drawn from the employer's well.

The investigations concluded that the absence of a confined space policy and an air monitoring protocol allowed the explosive build-up of gas to go undetected. The employer did not have any written procedures for confined
space entry or the appropriate testing equipment to monitor the air quality in the tank. As a result, the worker had not been provided with appropriate confined space entry training.

Sure Fresh Foods Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to provide information, instruction and supervision to the worker to protect health and safety as required by section 25(2)(a) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing to provide instruction on confined space entry protocols and procedures.

In addition to the fines, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge on the total, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Ministry of Labour: Windsor company fined $50,000 for ignoring orders

WINDSOR, ON, Jan. 7 /CNW/ - Great Events & Tents Inc. of Windsor was fined $50,000 on December 18, 2007, for repeated failures to comply with Ministry of Labour orders.

Between June 7 and September 12, 2005, the Ministry of Labour repeatedly inspected Great Events & Tents' 7950 Anchor Dr. location as part of its high risk initiative. It issued dozens of orders for numerous violations. The
company failed to comply with several of the orders and the ministry laid charges. Justice of the Peace Maureen Ryan-Brode, presiding at trial in the Ontario Court of Justice, found Great Events & Tents Inc. guilty, as an
employer, of:

failing to comply with an order to post at a workplace a health and
safety policy, contrary to Section 66(1)(b) of the Occupational
Health and Safety Act;

failing to comply with an order to provide instruction to its workers
on safe lifting techniques and proper material handling, contrary to
Section 66(1)(b) of the act;

failing to comply with an order to provide a guardrail at an open
side of a mezzanine storage area; contrary to Section 66(1)(b) of the
act;

failing to comply with an order to provide an eyewash station,
contrary to Section 66(1)(b) of the act; and

failing to comply with an order to provide a material safety data
sheet for controlled products, contrary to Section 66(1)(b) of the
act.

Justice of the Peace Ryan-Brode fined the company $10,000 on each count. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge on the total, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The
surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.