Paper Company Fined $50,000 for Failing to Block Machine During Maintenance

At a paper production facility, a worker stopped a machine that makes toilet paper and changed its perforating blades. Noting that dust had accumulated under the anvil heads of the machine, he was using one hand to remove dust when the anvil head came down on his hand, which was injured. An MOL investigation determined that the anvil head wasn’t blocked to prevent its movement while maintenance work was being performed and that the cleaning and maintenance procedures for the machine didn’t include the use of blocks. The company pleaded guilty to an OHS violation and was fined $50,000 [Irving Tissue Corp., Govt. News Release, Jan. 28, 2016].