A Stoney Creek steel processing company has been fined $200,000 after a worker was fatally struck by an industrial forklift at the facility in 2022.
Janco Steel Ltd. pleaded guilty in Hamilton Provincial Offences Court to failing to ensure proper safety measures for forklift operations, contrary to the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Justice of the Peace S. Butany-Goyal imposed the penalty along with a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge.
The fatal incident occurred April 26, 2022, when a worker operating an overhead crane was struck by a large industrial forklift travelling at 2-3 kilometres per hour inside the plant on Arvin Avenue.
Investigation reveals safety failures
The worker was using the crane to move a large steel coil from a transport truck to a weight scale when the accident happened. While looking up at the load, the worker walked backwards into an interior driveway where the forklift was operating.
A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation found the forklift operator could not see the area immediately in front of the coil being moved. The operator also did not have a full view of the intended path of travel.
The ministry determined Janco Steel failed to ensure the Taylor Forklift model X650L was directed by a signaller when the operator’s view was obstructed, as required under Ontario safety regulations.
The forklift operator stopped immediately when another worker yelled a warning, but the crane operator had already been fatally struck.
Court proceedings conclude three-year case
The conviction was registered April 2, 2025, nearly three years after the workplace death. Crown Counsel Steven Succi prosecuted the case, which highlights ongoing workplace safety challenges in industrial settings involving heavy equipment.
The victim fine surcharge will be credited to a provincial fund that assists crime victims. The penalty represents one of the significant workplace safety fines issued in the Hamilton area this year.
Janco Steel operates a steel processing facility in Stoney Creek, handling large industrial materials that require coordination between crane and forklift operations.
