NOVA Chemicals Corporation has been fined $130,000 after a worker suffered serious injuries when hot liquid was discharged from an exhaust stack during maintenance work at the company’s Corunna, Ont., facility.
The Calgary-based petrochemical manufacturer pleaded guilty in Sarnia Provincial Offences Court to failing to provide information, instruction and supervision to protect workers from hazards associated with intermittent blowdown operations.
The incident
On May 7, 2024, two workers employed by contractor Kel-Gor Limited were on a scaffold next to an intermittent blowdown drum exhaust stack while a heater was undergoing cleaning. Hot boiler feed water was discharged from the top of the stack, causing serious injuries to one worker.
The facility uses intermittent blowdowns to clean its boilers and heaters by manually opening valves to release boiler feed water from a heater storage drum into an IBD drum. This process removes water from the equipment to minimize scale corrosion and concentrations of impurities.
Investigation findings
A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation found the scaffold and IBD stack were not equipped with shields or barriers to protect workers from hot liquid discharges.
The investigation also found the workers on the scaffold had not been provided with information or procedures for safely conducting work near the IBD drum exhaust hood during intermittent blowdowns.
Justice of the Peace Louise Bessegato imposed the fine on Dec. 3, 2025. The court also imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act.
NOVA Chemicals operates petrochemical facilities across Canada. The Corunna facility is located at 785 Petrolia Line.
