Lecours Lumber Co. Limited Fined $50,000 After Worker Injured
Ministry of Labour
Hearst, ON. - Lecours Lumber Co. Limited, owner and operator of a sawmill in Calstock, was fined $50,000 on November 23, 2010, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that caused an injury to a worker.
On June 24, 2009, a worker was cleaning debris from a debarker, a machine that removes bark from logs. The debarker suddenly restarted and the worker was caught in a pinch point of the machine. The worker's shoulder was injured.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the debarker did not have a guard to protect the worker from accessing the pinch point.
Lecours Lumber Co. Limited pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the debarker was equipped with, and guarded by, a guard or other device to prevent access to the pinch point.
The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Jean-Marie Blier. 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
1131 Front St.
Hearst, ON
Judge: Justice of the Peace Jean-Marie Blier
Date of Conviction: November 23, 2010
Defendants: Lecours Lumber Co. Limited
Matter: Occupational Health and Safety
Conviction: Ontario Regulation 851, Section 25