Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited Fined $75,000 After Worker Injured
April 7, 2010 11:45 AM
Ottawa, Ont. - Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited, a security printing company, was fined $75,000 on March 25, 2010, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that caused an injury to a worker.
On June 19, 2008, workers at the company's plant in Ottawa were restarting a press machine. The machine has two hydraulically powered towers that come together to close the press. To restart the press, buttons on the inside of the towers had to be reset. A worker at the bottom of the towers opened the press slightly to get to the buttons. A second worker accessed the top of the towers by a catwalk to press one of the buttons. At the same time, a third worker at ground level pressed another button. This caused the press to start. The towers closed on the second worker's hand, crushing fingers and fracturing the wrist.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the press was equipped with a start-up warning device. However this device did not sound when the press closed after being opened only a few inches.
Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the press was equipped with an automatic start-up warning device that sounded when the press was being closed from all positions.
The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Brian Mackey. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, 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
100 Constellation Cres.
Ottawa, Ont.
Judge: Justice of the Peace Brian Mackey
Date of Conviction: March 25, 2010
Defendant: Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited
Matter: Occupational Health and Safety
Conviction: Ontario Regulation 851, Section 33
Contacts
- Matt Blajer
Communications Branch
416-326-7405
Ministry of Labour
ontario.ca/labour