Manufacturer Fined $150,000 After Worker Is Struck & Killed by Materials

At a window and door manufacturer’s facility, two workers were adding vent sashes to windows that were taken off the assembly line and placed on a large free-standing easel. At the back of the easel was an area where extra and loose material was stored. During the course of the day, workers placed various materials behind the easel, which began to tip over. One worker was struck by the easel and injured. The falling easel struck a second worker, knocking him to the ground. The easel and the material stored behind it landed on top of him, crushing him to death. The manufacturer pleaded guilty and was fined $150,000. Since the incident, the manufacturer has taken a number of steps to guard against similar incidents, including securing easels to the floor, hiring OHS coordinators to supplement existing safety staff, conducting a health and safety engineering review and putting into place detailed workplace-specific procedures [FranCar 2000 Inc., Govt. News Release, Feb. 3, 2017].