A Mississauga manufacturing company has been fined $120,000 after a worker died while operating a lathe machine that had its safety systems bypassed.
Allied Tooling Technologies Inc. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure proper machine guarding after the December 18, 2022 workplace fatality at its Netherhart Road facility.
The worker was operating a computer numerical control (CNC) lathe machine alone when the fatal accident occurred. Two co-workers later found the worker trapped inside the lathe, which had stopped running.
Safety system bypassed
A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the machine’s interlock device had been bypassed, allowing it to operate at full speed even with the sliding door open. The interlock is designed to stop the machine automatically when the door opens.
The investigation concluded that exposed moving parts of the machine were not adequately guarded, as required under Ontario workplace safety regulations.
Justice of the Peace Sapna Butany-Goyal imposed the fine June 18 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Mississauga. The court also imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, which goes to a provincial fund that assists crime victims.
Company responsibilities
Allied Tooling Technologies, which manufactures automotive, aerospace and industrial parts, violated section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing to ensure the machine had proper guards preventing access to moving parts.
The company also breached section 24 of Ontario Regulation 851/90, which requires adequate guarding of exposed moving machinery parts.
The case highlights employer responsibilities to maintain workplace safety systems and ensure equipment meets regulatory standards, particularly in manufacturing environments where workers operate potentially dangerous machinery.
