Submitted via Tony Moscioni:
Ministry of Labour
O-I Canada Corp. fined $50,000 for health and safety violation
BRAMPTON, ON, April 13 /CNW/ - O-I Canada Corp., a Halifax, N.S.-based company which manufactures glass containers in Brampton, was fined $50,000 today for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in serious electrical burns to a worker. On May 23, 2002, a worker was feeding electrical cable through a switchboard in an electrical power supply house when an electrical flash occurred. The worker was a member of a high voltage crew which was installing a new compressor at O-I Canada Corp.'s plant on West Drive in Brampton. The installation involved connecting electrical cable between the compressor and an electrical switchboard, part of which was energized with 4,160 volts of electricity. The worker suffered third degree burns to the right hand, superficial burns to the left hand and flash burns to the face and neck. The worker was employed by an electrical contractor, which had been hired by O-I Canada Corp. to install the compressor. A Ministry of Labour investigation found O-I Canada Corp. was aware the contractor would be performing the connection work at some point, but did not ensure the switchboard was disconnected or locked out prior to or during the work. O-I Canada Corp. pleaded guilty, as an employer, to failing to ensure the switchboard's power supply was disconnected, locked out of service and tagged prior to and during any work being done near live exposed parts, as required by Section 42(1) 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 Deborah Scarlett of the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton. In addition, the court imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
---------------------------------------------------
Court Information at a Glance
-----------------------------
Location: Ontario Court of Justice
50 Kennedy Road South, Courtroom 20
Brampton, Ontario
Judge: Justice of the Peace Deborah Scarlett
Date / Time: April 13, 2004, 9 a.m.
Defendant: O-I Canada Corp.
Matter: Occupational Health & Safety
---------------------------------------------------
-30-
For further information: Belinda Sutton, Ministry of Labour,
(416) 326-7405; Jeremy Warning, Crown Counsel, Legal Services Branch,
Ministry of Labour, (416) 326-7970
[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 04-15-2004).]