Repair shop fined $55,000 because injured worker wasn’t wearing eye protection
Humphrey Fleet Services, a heavy-duty truck and trailer shop in Stratford, Ont., has been fined $55,000 following a workplace injury involving a wire grinding wheel.
The worker was replacing a trailer’s rear light assembly on April 20, in a job that involved removing the light box, straightening it with a bottle jack, and reinstalling it with four bolts. Part of the process also involved using a grinder with a wire wheel head to remove a silicone seal.
A piece of wire was ejected from the wheel head, and the worker was not wearing any eye protection at the time.
While an Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation showed the shop used several methods to remind workers to wear eye protection, none of them were documented or enforced.
Employers are required to ensure workers wear eye protection under the Regulation for Industrial Establishments and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Humphrey Fleet Services was fined $55,000, plus a 25% victim fine surcharge, after entering a guilty plea in Provincial Offences Court.
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that’s a load of c–p. If the employer supplies the safety equipment to the employees and the employees knows he has to wear or use it, but neglects to do so, it is entirely on the employee. The employer shouldn’t have to follow the employees around like they are a bunch of 3 year olds.