SCARBOROUGH, ON, June 16 /CNW/ - Sherwood Windows Ltd., a window manufacturer in Rexdale, Ont., was fined $45,000 on June 15, 2004 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in serious arm and finger injuries to an employee.

On October 1, 2002, a worker was attempting to remove "yokes" (round aluminium bars) from a "milling machine" (a machine equipped with a saw that cuts grooves into yokes) when the worker's left hand and arm were caught by the machine's rotating saw and were pulled under the saw. The worker suffered a broken bone in a finger and arm, and severe lacerations up to the elbow. A Ministry of Labour investigation found there was no guarding device to prevent access to the saw blade. The incident occurred at the company's plant on Dansk Court in Rexdale.

Sherwood Windows Ltd. pleaded guilty, as an employer, to failing to ensure the saw blade on the milling machine was equipped with and guarded by a guard or other device that prevents access to the saw blade, as required by Section 24 of the Regulations for Industrial Establishments. This was contrary to Section 25(1)(c) of the act.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Robert Lewin of the Ontario Court of Justice in Scarborough. 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.

For more information visit www.gov.on.ca/lab/

For further information: Contacts: Belinda Sutton, Ministry of Labour,
(416) 326-7405; Joe Ferraro, Crown Counsel, Legal Services Branch, Ministry
of Labour, (416) 326-7975