Worker injury leads to $150K fine for employer

Linamar Holdings Inc., a Guelph, Ont., car part manufacturer, was fined $150,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured, an Ontario Ministry of Labour report said.
On May 20, 2009, a worker at the company's facility in Guelph was trying to determine the cause of a leak in a machine. The worker opened the cage surrounding the machine and went into the enclosed area. The worker had not been told that the area contained exposed parts that were electrically charged. The worker's head came into contact with a charged part of the machine, causing electrical shock and burns, the ministry report said.

Linamar Holdings Inc., carrying on business as Transgear Manufacturing, was found guilty of failing to provide information about the presence of electrically charged exposed parts in the enclosed area of the machine. The court also found that the company failed to provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker on the safe procedure for dealing with a leak.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace James Ziegler. In addition to the fine, 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.