A Mississauga, Ont., paint manufacturer has been fined $150,000 after a worker died when his clothing became entangled in an unguarded mixing machine.
Pigments Services Canada Inc., which operates as Monteith, pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2025, to failing to ensure proper machine guarding at its facility on Wharton Glen Avenue.
The incident occurred on April 29, 2024, when the worker was creating a batch of paint at the company’s Mississauga location. While working alone, the worker’s clothing caught in an exposed rotating shaft on the paint mixer, resulting in a fatal injury.
Unguarded machinery cited in violation
Justice of the Peace Veruschka Fisher-Grant imposed the fine in Provincial Offences Court in Mississauga. The company was convicted of failing to ensure measures and procedures for machine guarding were carried out, contrary to section 25(1)(c) and 66(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The paint mixing process involved lowering a paddle into a vat driven by an exposed rotating shaft. An investigation by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development found the mixer and similar machines at the facility were not properly guarded to protect workers, according to court documents.
Safety improvements implemented
Following the incident, the company installed protective covers and mesh guards to prevent worker access to rotating parts, according to the ministry.
The court also imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge goes to a provincial fund that assists crime victims. Crown counsel Wes Wilson prosecuted the case.
Pigments Services Canada Inc. manufactures paint and specialty coatings from its head office at 3000-40 Temperance Street in Toronto.
