Maple Leaf
 
HAMILTON, Ontario – Maple Leaf Foods Inc. was fined C$120,000 ($98,353) after a worker was injured at a Maple Leaf processing plant in Hannon, Ontario.

A court bulletin posted to the Ontario provincial government website stated that the incident occurred on March 23, 2016, when a Maple Leaf Foods worker was preparing to dump deboned chicken into a hopper for processing.

“The chicken was loaded onto a pallet in a large cardboard and plastic box called a “combo,” according to the notice. “The worker placed the pallet in the processing equipment so that it could be raised and dumped in the hopper.

“During the dumping of the chicken the combo collapsed, causing the chicken to get stuck inside. The worker began lowering the combo to try to fix it, but it fell out of position on the equipment. The worker attempted to correct the positioning by hand and the pallet holding the combo slid down and struck the worker's arm, causing injuries.”

A Ministry of Labour investigation determined that Maple Leaf Foods violated Canada’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.

In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25 percent victim fine surcharge as required under the Provincial Offenses Act. The surcharge is added to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

(US$1 = C$1.22)