Sittler fined in death of worker

Sittler Environmental Inc., a recycling and waste management company based in Elmira, was fined $95,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that resulted in the death of an employee at a road construction project in Cambridge

KITCHENER

On Sept. 14, 2005, a worker was supervising the removal and grinding up of tree parts and other debris when the worker was struck by an excavator and died later that day in hospital.

Just before the incident, the worker had approached a tub grinder to get a better view of its operation. One of the excavator operators noticed the worker, made eye contact twice and signalled an intention to move a log into the tub grinder.

The operator thought the worker understood and proceeded to move the excavator into position. A scream was heard and the operator looked around and saw the worker underneath the excavator’s right track. The operator reversed the excavator off the worker.

The incident occurred at a roadway construction project.

Sittler Environmental Inc. had been hired by the project’s constructor Cox Construction Limited, of Guelph, to remove trees and other debris to make way for the new road.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found the tub grinder was very loud and prevented workers from hearing one another.

A combination of eye contact and hand signals was a normal method of communication between workers, but there was no adequate standardized system of communication.

Sittler Environmental Inc. pleaded guilty, as an employer, to one count of failing to take the reasonable precaution of ensuring an adequate, standardized system of communication between workers was established and maintained at the work site.

This was contrary to Section 25(2)(h) of the act.

DCN NEWS SERVICES