Company and Supervisor Fined $88,000 Total After Worker Injured

St. Catharines, ON. - Bosch Rexroth Canada Corp., a Welland company that manufactures and sells hydraulic systems, was fined $80,000 on November 19, 2010, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that caused a worker to be injured. Ken Grant, a supervisor with the company, was fined $8,000 in relation to the same incident.

On December 23, 2009, a worker was testing the hydraulics of a pump at the company's Welland factory. After finishing the test, the worker cut power to the pump. However, hydraulic pressure continued to build in the system, eventually causing an explosion. A hose flew back at high speed and struck the worker in the head, resulting in critical injuries.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the hydraulic circuit in the system was not equipped with any means of relieving pressure that accumulated beyond the system's capabilities.

After a trial, Bosch Rexroth Canada Corp. was found guilty of failing, as an employer, to ensure that the hydraulic circuit was equipped with a means to relieve pressure.

After a trial, Ken Grant was found guilty of failing, as a supervisor, to ensure that workers were not exposed to the dangers of working with a hydraulic circuit that was not equipped with a means to relieve pressure.

The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Richard Bisson. In addition to the fines, 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

                                    59 Church St.

                                    St Catharines, ON

Judge:                         Justice of the Peace Richard Bisson

Date of Conviction:      November 19, 2010

Defendants:                 Bosch Rexroth Canada Corp.

                                    Ken Grant

Matter:                        Occupational Health and Safety

Conviction:          Occupational Health and Safety Act, Section 25(2)(h)

                            Occupational Health and Safety Act, Section 27(2)(c)

Crown Counsel:          David McCaskill

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