Convicted: Arcelormittal Long Products Canada MP Inc., 1330 Burlington Street East, Hamilton, Ontario, a maker of steel products.
Location of Workplace: 690 Strathearne Avenue North, Hamilton, Ontario.
Description of Offence: A worker was critically injured when connecting coils to a hoist with a chain. A coil fell forward and knocked the worker to the floor, resulting in critical injuries.
Date of Offence: March 11, 2017.
Date of Conviction: November 29, 2018.
Penalty Imposed:
- Following a guilty plea, the company was fined $75,000 in provincial offences court in Hamilton by Justice of the Peace Mitchell H. Baker; Crown Counsel Marco Galluzzo.
- The court also 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.
Background:
- A worker was engaged in the handling and storage of oil tempered wire coils at the workplace.
- Coils are stored upright, leaning against a rotating block, until moved to the strapping area.
- The worker was working as a line blocker, which involved connecting the coils to a hoist so that the coils could be moved to the strapping area.
- As per established procedure, the worker attempted to place a chain around a coil. The coil fell forward, knocked the worker to the floor and injured the worker.
- To prevent coils from tipping, falling or endangering a worker, the company required workers to lean the coils on a 10-degree angle but did not specify how this task was to be performed.
- The coil was not stored so it would not tip, collapse or fall, and it could not be removed without endangering the safety of the worker. As such, the defendant violated section 45(b) of the Industrial Establishments Regulation contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
– Ministry of Labour