The Ontario government has fined Resolute Forest Products Inc. $120,000 after a worker was seriously injured by a 22,000 lb piece of equipment in Thunder Bay.
Court heard that Resolute failed to ensure proper safety measures and procedures were in place when a worker was injured after improperly using machinery to move a heavy piece of equipment in July of 2021.
Resolute plead guilty to the offence on April 14, 2023 in a Quebec courthouse, imposing a 25 per cent victim surcharge worth $30,000 to assist the victim.
A report on the incident indicates workers were asked to bring a replacement transformer weighing 22,000 lbs from one part of a Resolute facility to another, using a forklift.
To help with the move, workers used Hillman rollers under each corner of the transformer and used ball peen hammers to adjust its direction, instead of using the steering handles and pre-load pads that are intended for use with Hillman rollers.
When a worker struck a roller with their hammer, the transformer topped on its side – seriously injuring one of the workers.
The report explains Resolute Forest Products Inc. Failed to ensure the transformer was moved in a way that did not endanger the safety of any worker, violating section 45(a) of the Regulation for Industrial Establishments set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
