NEWS RELEASE
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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Convicted: BND Woodworking Inc., 1-66 Arrow Rd., Guelph, Ont., N1K 1T4
Location of Workplace: 1-66 Arrow Rd., Guelph
Description of Offence: A worker sustained critical injuries while using a saw blade to cut cabinet drawers. BND Woodworking Inc. failed, as an employer, to ensure that equipment, materials and protective devices provided by the employer were maintained in good condition at a workplace, as required by section 25(1)(b) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Date of Offence: March 2, 2023
Date of Conviction: May 8, 2024
Penalty Imposed:
- Following a guilty plea in the Ontario Court of Justice, Guelph, BND Woodworking Inc. was fined $50,000 by Justice of the Peace Jennifer Thompson. Crown Counsel was Katie Krafchick.
- The court also 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.
Background:
- BND Woodworking Inc. manufactures kitchen and bathroom cabinetry. One of the tools used in their workshop is a general tilting arbor saw. It has protective coverings on both sides of the blade to prevent worker access to the moving blades.
- On March 2, 2023, the left saw blade cover was raised and damaged. A portion of the cover had previously broken off. The right saw blade cover was undamaged but raised. The absence of both guards created a dangerous risk.
- That morning, a worker was cutting cabinet drawer pieces to proper size using the table saw. After they guided material through the saw blade with one hand, they used the other hand to retrieve it. As they were doing this, their hand was injured by the blade.
- A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation revealed that the employer had been waiting since June 2022 for replacement parts, but had no documentation that the parts were ever ordered. Additionally, the operation manual for the saw requires blade guards to be in place and in working order.
- BND Woodworking Inc. failed to ensure the general tilting arbor saw was maintained in good condition at a workplace, contrary to section 25(1)(b) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
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