A Brampton-based brick manufacturer has been fined $65,000 after a worker was critically injured while cleaning equipment at its Brockville facility.
Brampton Brick Limited pleaded guilty in Provincial Offences Court to violating Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing to provide proper information, instruction and supervision on safely cleaning a block machine.
The incident occurred on April 21, 2023, when a worker attempted to clean a mold inside an active machine rather than removing it first. The worker opened a safety guard to access the machine’s moving parts without locking out the equipment or turning off power.
When the worker needed better access to the back of the mold, they asked a colleague to raise the machine’s head. The co-worker mistakenly moved the control panel switches in the wrong direction, resulting in critical injuries to the worker.
A Ministry of Labour investigation revealed that despite having contrary procedures, training and signage, workers routinely skipped machine lockout protocols during cleaning to save time.
Justice of the Peace Bryan Snyder imposed the fine on February 5, 2025, following the company’s guilty plea. The court also applied a mandatory 25 per cent victim fine surcharge that supports provincial programs for crime victims.
This marks the second significant workplace safety fine for Brampton Brick in recent years. The company was previously fined $225,000 following a separate incident that resulted in a worker fatality at another location.
