Sunrise Greenhouse Manufacturing Inc. fined $100,000 for health and safety violation

WINDSOR, ON, Aug. 17 /CNW/ Sunrise Greenhouse Manufacturing Inc., a
Kingsville, Ont.-based manufacturer of greenhouse components, was fined
$100,000 today for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that
resulted in the death of one employee and serious injury to another.

On August 12, 2005, two workers were standing at the rear of a large
"shear" (a machine used to cut steel sheets), located next to a racking
system, when they were struck by aluminium plates that slid off a pallet on a
forklift truck. One worker died from a massive head injury. The other worker
suffered a laceration to the head as well as scrapes to the back and leg. The
incident occurred at the company's metal cutting, shaping and welding facility at 2025 Spinks Drive in Kingsville, located about 20 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Windsor.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found the forklift truck was being
used to reposition aluminium plates in order to clean up the storage racking.
The plates were not secured to the pallet. In addition, a large load of the
aluminium plates on a lower shelf of the racking system, where material was
being moved ,was not supported and, as a result, unstable. When the forklift
truck attempted to reposition the load, the aluminium plates tipped forward
and slid off the pallet.

Sunrise Greenhouse Manufacturing Inc. pleaded guilty, as an employer, to
failing to ensure the aluminium plates were transported, placed or stored so
they would not tip, collapse or fall, as required by Section 45(b) of the
Regulations for Industrial Establishments. This was contrary to Section
25(1)(c) of the act.

The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Robert Ponton of the Ontario
Court of Justice in Windsor. In addition, 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.

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                        Court Information at a Glance
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    Location:           Ontario Court of Justice
                        251 Goyeau Street, Courtroom 302
                        Windsor, Ontario

    Judge:              Justice of the Peace Robert Ponton

    Date/Time:          August 17, 2007, 10 a.m.

    Defendant:          Sunrise Greenhouse Manufacturing Inc.

    Matter:             Occupational Health & Safety

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