A St. Thomas company that grows vegetable plants for greenhouses has been fined $55,000 a year and a half after one of its employees was critically injured on the job.
Ontario Plants Propagation Limited at 38024 John Wise Line pleaded guilty in St. Thomas provincial court on Monday in relation the October 30, 2017 incident. It was on that date that workers were tasked with retrieving full polystyrene plant trays from the production line to place on wheeled carts. One of the workers noticed a broken and dislodged plant tray on the centre gravity roller conveyor, near a robot programmed to place various-sized starter plant plugs into the trays.
In an attempt to remove the broken tray, the worker stood on the frame of the conveyor and leaned into the interior of the robot while using a homemade grab hook to try to grab the tray. It was at this time the robot moved, pinning the worker.
The worker suffered critical injuries as a result of the incident.
A Ministry of Labour investigation determined the robot had exposed moving parts and was not equipped with a safety guard. As a result, the ministry has found the company failed to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
In addition to the $55,000 fine, the company will have to pay a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act to assist victims of crime.
