Lockout/tag out violation: NTN Bearing fined $62,500 after worker hurt during machine maintenance

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NTN Bearing has been fined a total of $62,500 after a worker was hurt while maintaining a machine on a manufacturing line at its facility in Mississauga, Ont.

On May 27, 2022, a worker was doing maintenance work on an AVG (Vacuumed Drying and Grease) machine at the company’s facility at 6740 Kitimat Road in Mississauga. The machine was not locked out.

The worker attempted to adjust the machine’s air flow by reaching into its vacuum head to access a control valve. While the worker’s arm was still in the machine, its vacuum head moved down and injured the worker.

The machine’s front access door was equipped with a safety interlock device to prevent the machine from cycling when the door was open without a bypass key. All technicians, engineers, supervisors and certain machine operators were provided with bypass keys for safety interlock devices and there was no policy, procedure, risk assessment or worker training for the use of these keys.

By not ensuring the AVG machine was locked out during maintenance, NTN Bearing Corporation of Canada Limited failed to follow section 75 of Ontario Regulation 851, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

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.