Toronto, Ont. - Bunge Canada, an Oakville maker of edible oil products, was fined $70,000 on August 18, 2009, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) after a worker was seriously injured.

On March 28, 2008, at Bunge's Weston Rd. facility in Toronto, a worker was on top of a tanker-trailer, filling it with oil. The driver started pulling out of the loading bay while the worker was still on top of the trailer, and the worker fell 3.5 meters to the concrete floor. The raised tanker-trailer wheels ran over the worker's arm and leg, causing serious injury.

Bunge Canada pleaded guilty under the OHSA to failing to take the reasonable precaution of establishing an adequate system of signals permitting tanker-trailer drivers to leave a loading dock.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace John Cottrell. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge on the total, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.  The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Court Information at a Glance

Location:              Ontario Court of Justice

                              1530 Markham Rd., Room E8

                              Toronto, Ont.

Judge:                  

Justice of the Peace John Cottrell

Date of Conviction:

August 18, 2009

Defendants:

Bunge Canada Holdings 1 ULC, carrying on business as Bunge Canada

Matter:

Occupational Health and Safety

Conviction:

OHSA, section 25(2)(h)

Crown Counsel:

Brian Blumenthal