Critical injuries to worker result in $100,000 fine for Cambridge, Ont., company

A pool-liner and vinyl manufacturer in Cambridge, Ont., was fined $100,000 on Tuesday, following a 2018 incident that saw a worker incur critical injuries while cleaning a conveyor belt.

It is the third conviction under the provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act for Canadian General-Tower. The company pleaded guilty to the offence.

In addition to the fine, a victim fine surcharge of 25 per cent was imposed by Justice Michael Cuthbertson in Kitchener court.

On May 8, 2018, two workers were cleaning a section of a conveyor belt of a calender — a machine used in the production of rolled vinyl textiles.

The conveyor belt had been unlocked, re-oriented and energized to allow for cleaning, which the worker was doing from a ladder, according to a statement by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.

While cleaning the underside of the belt with gloves and a rag, the worker was pulled by the rotating belt into the idler roller and trapped.

Once freed by other workers, the worker was taken to hospital.

The investigation determined the employer failed to ensure that machinery was only cleaned when motion that may endanger a worker had stopped.