Manufacturer Fined $80,000 after Temporary Worker Is Injured

A temporary worker had been employed at a manufacturer’s plant for several months. He was being trained by a co-worker on a vertical injection press for the first time. The temp was cleaning the machine’s upper ejection mould as trained. He reached into the press between two plates when someone started the machine, which began to cycle and closed the moulds. The temp’s hand and arm were trapped. As a result of the incident, he sustained serious injuries and burns. The MOL’s investigation found that the machine’s moving parts weren’t equipped with a guard or other device which would prevent access to those parts. The manufacturer pleaded guilty to an OHS violation and was fined $80,000 [Poly-Nova Technologies GP Inc., Govt. News Release, Dec. 21, 2016].