Cement Company Fined $165,000 for Machine Accident

A cement worker sent inside a Finish Mill Cooler to measure vibrations while the equipment was in operation stepped on the unsecured hatch cover, which flipped inward, resulting in critical injuries. The employer pled guilty of failing to ensure the hatch cover was properly secured and was hit with a $165,000 fine, plus a 25% victim’s surcharge [St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada), MOL Press Release, October 22, 2021].