Company Fined $55,000 for Maintenance Incident

Workers were clearing pallets that had jammed on an assembly line. One worker had a hand on the conveyor of a machine when part of the machine cycled down, crushing his hand and causing muscle damage. An MOL investigation found that although the power to that part of the assembly line had been disconnected, there was still residual energy in one of its cylinders, causing it to cycle. The company pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the machine was blocked to prevent movement while it was being maintained and was fined $55,000 [Gates Canada Inc., Govt. News Release, Feb. 10, 2012].