Pepsico Canada fined $80,000 after worker hurt making cereal

The Pepsico Canada plant on Hunter Street in Peterborough, Ont. Photo: Google Streetview

Pepsico Canada has been fined $80,000 after a worker was injured while making cereal at its factory in Peterborough, Ont.

On Sept. 30, 2020, a worker was checking moisture and sugar levels in cereal products. The worker noticed there was no cereal coming out of a conveyor belt that breaks cereal sheets into smaller pieces.

The worker went down to the conveyor line and attempted to push sheets of cereal into the conveyor belt.

The worker suffered a critical injury from an unguarded in-running nip hazard created by the conveyor belt drive roller and the supporting table.

Section 25 of the Regulation for Industrial Establishments requires that in-running nip hazards of a machine be guarded to prevent access to the pinch point.

Pepsico Canada ULC contravened Section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing, as an employer, to ensure that the measures and procedures required by Section 25 of Ontario Regulation 851 were carried out.

As required by the Provincial Offences Act, the court also added a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, bringing the total to $100,000.