Ontario blow molder fined $100,000 for fatal accident

Vaughan, Ont.-based blow molder CRS Plastics Ltd. has been fined $100,000 for a violation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was fatally injured.

According to a news release by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, a temporary worker was removing plastic bottles from the end of a blow mold machine at the CRS facility on March 29, 2014. The machine had a moving part that should have been guarded, but the guard had broken and was missing while it underwent repairs. The worker came into contact with the moving part of the machine and was fatally injured.

CRS pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that a machine with a moving part that could endanger a worker was equipped with a guard to prevent access.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Marie-Christine Smythe on August 17, 2015 in a court in Newmarket, Ont.

In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Founded in 1984, CRS is a manufacturer of HDPE plastic bottles and containers produced utilizing extrusion blow molding technology. The company specializes in handle-ware in the 2 litre to 16 litre sizes.