Woodbridge manufacturer fined $50,000 for safety violation

Woodbridge Pallet Ltd., a Woodbridge-based pallet manufacturing and repair company, was fined $50,000 on Aug. 17, 2012, for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured.

 On July 20, 2010, a Woodbridge Pallet employee was painting pallets in the workplace’s paint department. The worker began walking across the floor area to retrieve some paint when a counter-balance forklift carrying a load of pallets struck the worker. The worker suffered leg and arm injuries.

An Ontario Ministry of Labour investigation found that the forklift operator – when moving forward – could not see the other worker because the pallets on the forks obstructed the operator’s forward view.

Woodbridge Pallet Ltd. pleaded guilty to failing to move materials in a way that would not endanger any workers.

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