JBS Ontario fined C$75,000 by provincial court after worker suffers injury while operating a sausage mixer at the company's plant in Belleville, Ontario

September 1, 2022 (press release) –

Convicted: JBS Foods Ontario Inc.,5883 11 Street SE, Calgary, Alberta.

Location of Workplace: 240 Jamieson Bone Rd. Belleville, Ontario.

Description of Offence: Three workers were operating a mixer that makes sausages. As they were emptying the contents into two-wheeled bins at the outfeed to clean the mixer, one worker reached into the discharge hole, seriously injuring themselves. JBS Foods Ontario Inc. failed to ensure the machine had a guard or other device to prevent access to the pinch points as prescribed in section 24 of O. Reg. 851, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, R.S.O., c.O.1, as amended.

Date of Offence: December 30, 2020

Date of Conviction: August 22, 2022

Penalty Imposed:

Following a guilty plea in the Ontario Court of Justice, Belleville POA Court, JBS Food Ontario Inc. was fined $75,000 by Justice of the Peace Anne M. Colterman; Crown Counsel, Dan Phelan.

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:

On December 30, 2020, three workers were operating a sausage mixer at JBS Foods’ Belleville plant.

To prepare it for cleaning, they were transferring its contents into two-wheel bins located at the outfeed of the mixer.

One worker turned on the two-hand control without realizing that another worker was reaching inside the discharge hole, seriously injuring them.

JBS Foods Ontario Inc. failed to ensure the machine had a guard or other device to prevent access to the pinch point as prescribed in section 24 of O. Reg. 851, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, R.S.O., c.O.1, as amended.

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