Manitoba Labour and Immigration is reminding employers to ensure workplaces are safe and employees are provided with the proper procedures to perform their duties, after three businesses were prosecuted for workplace incidents.
On March 16, 2012, a worker for Steinbach-based Blanchard Construction Inc. was part of a crew installing rafters on a building that was under construction. The rafters collapsed and trapped the worker, who sustained serious injuries to his right leg as a result. On Dec. 23, 2014, the employer plead guilty under section 4(1)(a) of the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act to the charge of allowing workers to work on and under an unstable roof truss system, and section 2.7(1) of the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act Regulation, M.R. 217/2006 to the charge of failing to immediately communicate or notify Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) of the serious incident involving the workers. The company was ordered to pay $13,850 in fines and surcharges. Charges under the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulations against Artur Renz remain before the courts.
On Jan. 19, 2012, a worker for Natural Bakery Ltd. was attempting to clean a piece of equipment used to cut dough. The worker’s hand made contact with a moving scraper blade resulting in the amputation of three fingers. On Dec. 11, 2014, the employer plead guilty under section 4(1)(a) of the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act to the charge of failing to ensure that a worker did not clean a dough dividing machine without the moving parts of the machine being physically guarded to prevent worker contact with a moving part. The company was ordered to pay $43,800 in fines and surcharges.
On April 30, 2012, a worker for Morden-based Buhler Trading Inc. was trimming metal bars using an eccentric punch press. While removing a piece of metal from the press, the press activated, pinching the worker’s left hand resulting in the amputation of two fingers. On Jan. 13, 2015, the employer plead guilty under section 2.3 of the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act Regulation, M.R. 217/2006 to the charge of failing to provide a worker with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards addressing the operation and safeguarding of power press machinery, and under section 16.4(3) of the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act Regulation, M.R. 217/2006 to the charge of failing to ensure the eccentric punch press was inspected at regular intervals to ensure the machine was capable of safely performing the functions for which it was used. The company was ordered to pay $35,000 in fines.
When a workplace incident occurs, WSH investigates and can recommend prosecution if it is determined the employer did not have appropriate safeguards in place or employees had not been properly trained.
More information on WSH and the Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act is available at www.gov.mb.ca/labour/safety.
