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OAKVILLE, ONT. – Samuel, Son & Co., Limited, operating as Nelson Steel, a company that provides steel coil processing services and packaging, has been fined after a worker was injured on the job.

According to an Ontario court bulletin, on Nov. 8, 2023, a Nelson Steel worker was using electronic control panels to operate a turnstile and down-ender table.

The turnstile rotates the steel coils, while the down-ender table lowers them into a horizontal position so they can move along the packaging line on a roller conveyor.

The worker used the control panels to transfer a steel coil from the turnstile to the down-ender table and lower it into the horizontal position.

A nearby worker noticed the tail of the coil had popped out or had become unsecured. This worker entered the area between the turnstile and the down-ender table and leaned over the coil to attempt the repair.

During the repair, the worker at the control panels inadvertently activated the turnstile pusher, causing a coil to be pushed off the turnstile arm and fall to the ground, injuring the worker performing the repair, the release reads.

A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation found the company failed as an employer to ensure the measures and procedures as required by  of the Ontario Regulation 851, were carried out at the workplace, contrary to section  of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Following the incident, the company complied with an order requiring the incident area to be shielded or guarded.

Following a guilty plea in the Ontario Court of Justice in Hamilton on Nov. 24, 2024, the company was fined $125,000 by Justice of the Peace Marsha Farnand.