Steel Manufacturer Fined $120,000 for Guarding Violation

A worker at a steel manufacturer’s factory was standing near the back of a mill when a section of the mill was moved into place using a rack and pinion drive system. His leg was pinched between a moving rack and the mill and broken. The MOL’s investigation found that the area of the mill where the worker was standing wasn’t guarded to prevent access to this pinch point. The manufacturer pleaded guilty to a guarding violation. The court fined it $120,000 [Welded Tube of Canada Ltd., Govt. News Release, April 26, 2012].