Tecumseh tool and die maker fined $180K in death of worker
Employees were not properly preventing machines from operating during maintenance, an investigation found
A provincial offences court justice of the peace has fined a Tecumseh tool and die maker $180,000 for safety violations that resulted in the death of a worker.
The incident happened on March 28, 2022 when a maintenance worker at Saturn Tool and Die entered a stamping press to troubleshoot a quality control problem, according to a news release issued Tuesday by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
The press was stopped, but not locked with ram blocks or electronic lock out plugs in place, the ministry said.
A ministry investigation found that it was common practice at the time of the incident for workers on the production floor not to use ram blocks for troubleshooting or maintenance work of a short duration, it said.
In the incident in question, another worker restarted the machine, unaware that someone was inside.
Saturn Tool & Die (Windsor) Inc. did not fulfil its legal requirement as an employer, to ensure that the motion of any part of the press that could endanger a worker was stopped and blocked during the troubleshooting examination, the ministry said.
The court also imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge on the company as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
That money goes to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.