A Guelph-based automotive parts manufacturer has been fined $350,000 after a worker was critically injured when a 460-pound broach stick fell from a crane and struck them at the company’s facility.
Linamar Corporation, operating as Linamar Gear, pleaded guilty in Provincial Offences Court on May 9 to failing to ensure proper safety measures were carried out at its workplace, contrary to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The incident occurred on June 30, 2023, at the company’s Independence Place facility when an acting supervisor directed a worker to perform a broach stick tool change. The worker was using a jib crane with clamping attachments to insert and remove the precision machining tools from a broaching machine when the equipment fell.
Investigation reveals equipment malfunction
A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation found the crane controls were not functioning as designed by the manufacturer. This malfunction allowed the crane to lift a broach stick that was only partially engaged, meaning the clamp attachment was not fully closed around the heavy tool.
The faulty controls compromised the secure handling of the broach stick, which is used in precision machining to remove material from workpieces. These tools consist of long, toothed bars that progressively cut into material as they pass through it.
Court imposes maximum penalty
Justice of the Peace Michael Cuthbertson imposed the $350,000 fine, along with a mandatory 25 per cent victim fine surcharge of $87,500 under the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge goes to a special provincial fund that assists crime victims.
Crown Counsel Patrick Travers prosecuted the case in Guelph Provincial Offences Court.
The conviction stems from the company’s failure to ensure the broach stick was lifted, carried or moved in a manner that did not endanger worker safety, as required under Ontario Regulation 851/90 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Linamar Corporation operates manufacturing facilities across Ontario and internationally, producing automotive components and industrial equipment.
