Guarding Violation Costs Manufacturer $55,000

A worker at a manufacturing plant was cleaning around the base of a machine when he noticed that a piece of waste material had gotten into the space between the belt underside and the belt pulleys. As he reached his gloved hand into the space to pick up the waste, his hand was pulled into the machine in a pinch point, causing multiple fractures to his arm. The manufacturer pleaded guilty to a guarding violation and was fined $55,000 [Autoneum Canada Ltd., Govt. News Release, Sept. 9, 2014].