Ontario-based manufacturer admitted failing to keep worker safe before incident left him unconscious
A carmaker in Brampton, Ontario, has admitted failing to keep a worker safe before an incident left him unconscious and injured.
FCA Canada Inc., part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, was last week found guilty of violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act after the employee sustained a head injury while doing maintenance work in 2015.
The company was fined $140,000 by Justice of the Peace Samantha Burton.
FCA Canada pleaded guilty to failing to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect a worker from the ejection of bolts from the transfer press.
The worker was performing annual preventive maintenance work on the D-Line Press, a machine used to manufacture automobile door and fender panels. The work was being performed on the machine’s clutch.
This worker and two others were removing bolts connecting a clutch plate to other components of the assembly when two bolts from the clutch spring assembly fractured and were ejected at high velocity.
He was struck in the head by a clutch spring assembly, lost consciousness and suffered injuries.
An investigation conducted by the Ministry of Labour found that each time the press completed a cycle, a force was applied to the spring assemblies. This could separate the bolt connections. Since the force was applied repeatedly, the bolts progressively deteriorated and eventually fractured.
The bolt failure continued to occur despite the fact that company and workers were aware of the periodic breakage.
Related stories:
Bakery fined $300,000 over worker’s death
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FCA Canada Inc., part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, was last week found guilty of violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act after the employee sustained a head injury while doing maintenance work in 2015.
The company was fined $140,000 by Justice of the Peace Samantha Burton.
FCA Canada pleaded guilty to failing to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect a worker from the ejection of bolts from the transfer press.
The worker was performing annual preventive maintenance work on the D-Line Press, a machine used to manufacture automobile door and fender panels. The work was being performed on the machine’s clutch.
This worker and two others were removing bolts connecting a clutch plate to other components of the assembly when two bolts from the clutch spring assembly fractured and were ejected at high velocity.
He was struck in the head by a clutch spring assembly, lost consciousness and suffered injuries.
An investigation conducted by the Ministry of Labour found that each time the press completed a cycle, a force was applied to the spring assemblies. This could separate the bolt connections. Since the force was applied repeatedly, the bolts progressively deteriorated and eventually fractured.
The bolt failure continued to occur despite the fact that company and workers were aware of the periodic breakage.
Related stories:
Bakery fined $300,000 over worker’s death
Hundreds of claims over worker exposure re-visited
