Waste management firm fined $150K after worker's foot run over by truck

OTTAWA — A waste management company has been fined after a worker's foot was run over by a collection truck.

BFI Canada was fined $150,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour says a worker from a temporary help agency was assigned to a waste collection route for BFI in Ottawa. The worker's job was to take recyclable material from the curb and put it into a waste collection truck.

While performing these duties on May 28, 2009, the worker got out of the truck while it was still moving and the truck ran over the worker's foot.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found the company had safety procedures prohibiting workers from exiting a moving vehicle but the temporary worker was not properly trained in the procedures.

BFI Canada Inc. was found guilty of failing to provide information, instruction and supervision to the worker with respect to safe operating procedures for mobile waste collection.

A 25 per cent victim fine surcharge was also imposed as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.