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Linamar Corp. fined $550,000 for two workplace deaths and one injury(Canadian Press (delayed) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) GUELPH, Ont. _ Linamar Corp. (TSX:LNR) and its holding company have been fined a total of $550,000 over two workplace deaths and an injury. The auto parts company, based in Guelph, Ont., pleaded guilty Wednesday in the Ontario Court of Justice to various charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for the three incidents that occurred between 2005 and 2007. ``We think that it is successfully resolved, and we are satisfied with the outcome and the penalties imposed,'' said Dan Kleiman, Crown council for the Ministry of Labour. ``This is a warning to this company and other companies that workplace safety is taken very seriously by the Ministry of Labour and by the Crown,'' he added. ``That is what we set out to do, and I think we accomplished that.'' The company was fined $225,000 for an October 2005 incident at a machining plant in Ariss, Ont., when William Xu, 44, was fatally injured while operating a grinder. He was trapped in a pinch point between two hoods and crushed. Linamar was fined an additional $225,000 for an incident in May 2006 when Karoly Fekete, 29, was electrocuted at a Guelph factory. The incident occurred when Fekete took hold of an electrically charged chain attached to a faulty electric crane, which was used for moving auto parts. The company was also fined $100,000 for an August 2007 incident that caused a worker to suffer a serious hand injury at a manufacturing plant near Guelph. Company spokeswoman Crystal Roberts expressed Linamar's regret over the incidents and its pledge to improve safety. ``We deeply regret that any of these incidents happened,'' Roberts said. ``Linamar was extremely devastated that these incidents happened at all, particularly because prior to these incidents we had a really strong health and safety record.'' Roberts said the company also regrets the impact the fatalities and injury had on the families affected by them. The company's priority is to make sure its employees are safe every day, she said. ``We accept our responsibility in educating them, communicating with them, training them and conducting audits,'' said Roberts. ``Something that we have learned is that our health and safety programs are for every person within Linamar, at all levels, and that we have to work together to make a safe environment for everyone. That is something that we're really focused on doing.'' (Guelph Mercury) Copyright ? 2008 The Canadian Press |