The company admits that it failed to provide information and supervision to the victims

Manoaka Developments, Inc., based in Ontario-operating under the name Dolphin Fiberglass Pools Canada-was fined $75,000 after one of its workers suffered fatal injuries in the workplace.

After the Provincial Criminal Law Court admitted that it violated the Occupational Health and Safety Law, the company was also ordered to pay a 25% surcharge, which will be included in the provincial government's special fund to help victims of crime.

The incident occurred on September 29, 2020, when an employee was working in an external warehouse in the main building of Trenton, operating an electric forklift. Workers drove the forklift at high speed around a sharp 90-degree turn, causing the forklift to tilt and cause fatal injuries to the workers.

During the investigation, the Ministry of Labor, Training and Skills Development found that the worker was not wearing a seat belt when the accident occurred.

"Manoaka Developments, Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to provide workers with information and/or guidance and/or supervision on the safe operation of forklifts, including the use of restraint devices such as seat belts, in violation of Article 25(2) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (a), RSO, 1990, cO1, as amended,” according to the Ontario government.

According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), anyone who uses a forklift must operate at a safe speed, taking all conditions into consideration. When the forklift has a seat belt or operator restraint device/system, the forklift operator must also always check and wear these devices.

A few days ago, Accuristix, Inc., another employer in Ontario, was fined $70,000 for a serious injury to a worker in violation of regulations. The incident also involved the use of forklifts in the workplace.

CCOHS states: “Forklifts can only be operated by experienced workers who have been trained, certified, or can perform this task.”

Other things the operator should do include:

Earlier, a worker of Ontario employer St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada) was seriously injured during equipment testing at the finishing mill 400 Bowmanville Avenue in Bowmanville and was fined US$165,000. The plant produces fine cement powder.

Northern Transformer Corporation, another Ontario employer, was fined $50,000 for a worker who was caught between two transformers causing serious injuries.