Estate Hardwood Fined for Health and Safety Violat
Renfrew, Ontario, November 21, 2006--Estate Hardwood Floors Corp., a Halifax, N.S.-based hardwood floor manufacturer that operates a sawmill in Renfrew, was fined $90,000 on November 17, 2006 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in serious injuries to an employee, according to CNW Group.
On April 26, 2005, a worker was operating a "debarker machine" (a machine
that strips bark off logs) when the worker's sleeve came in contact with the
debarker's exposed, rotating "power-take-off shaft" (a long cylindrical
component that turns at high speed when the debarker is in operation). The
worker was drawn into the power-take-off shaft. The incident occurred at the
company's sawmill at 2 Innovation Drive in Renfrew.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found the power-take-off shaft did not
have a guarding device to prevent access, as required by law.
