Sarnia, Ont. - Central Machine and Marine Inc., a Sarnia machine shop specializing in large marine repairs, was fined $65,000 on May 14, 2009, for a violation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) after a worker was seriously injured.

On January 17, 2008, two workers were disassembling a harmonic engine balancer consisting of three rings on a centre core.  The engine balancer was suspended from its core by an overhead crane, and some bolts had already been removed.  The workers were under the raised load and one worker was removing another bolt when the top and middle rings slid away from the core and onto the worker's arm, severely crushing it against the bottom ring and a piece of lumber.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the engine balancer had not been secured or blocked after it was raised.

Central Machine and Marine Inc. pleaded guilty under the OHSA to failing, as an employer, to ensure the engine balancer was securely and solidly blocked while elevated to prevent it from falling on the worker.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Marsha L. Miskokomon.  In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge on the total, as required by the Provincial Offences Act.  The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Court Information at a Glance

Location:                    Ontario Court of Justice

                                    700 N. Christina St.

                                    Sarnia, ON

Judge:                        

Justice of the Peace Marsha L. Miskokomon

Date of Conviction:

May 14, 2009

Defendants:

Central Machine and Marine Inc.

Matter:

Occupational Health and Safety

Conviction:

Ontario Regulation 851, Section 74

OHSA, Section 25(1)(c)

Crown Counsel:

David McCaskill