Wind Tower Manufacturer Fined $80,000 after Worker Is Crushed

A worker for a manufacturer of wind towers was polishing a 58-tonne cylindrical steel tower section with a hand grinder while standing on tracks between two tower segments that were resting on adjustable welding rotators. The control boxes for the rotators weren’t locked out. After the worker finished the polishing work and was collecting his tools, one of the tower segments began to move silently along the tracks. He was unable to escape and was crushed between two tower segments. The manufacturer pleaded guilty to a lockout violation and was fined $80,000 [TSP Canada Towers Inc., Govt. News Release, April 10, 2015].