Metal Recycling Company Fined $105,000 for Fatal Excavator Incident

A worker was in a metal recycling company’s yard cutting apart the bucket portion of a front-end loader. A co-worker affixed the rear bumper of a city bus to an excavator and proceeded to reverse the excavator along a roadway, moving the bumper to another location. While reversing, the excavator struck and crushed the first worker, causing fatal injuries. An MOL investigation determined that the worker operating the excavator didn’t have a clear view of the intended path of travel, there wasn’t a signaler to assist with the task and the excavator didn’t have a working travel alarm. The company pleaded guilty to an OHS violation and was fined $105,000 [Peterborough Iron & Metal Inc., Govt. News Release, Jan. 23, 2017].