Toronto, Ontario — Ruggieri Brother’s Automotive Ltd. has just been fined $85,000 following an incident that resulted in the fatality of one of their employees earlier last year.
Following a guilty plea on Dec. 20, the Vaughan-based shop was fined for failing as an employer to provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker to protect the safety of the worker, contrary to section 25(2)(a) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The incident occurred on May 25 2018, when an employee at their location was injured installing a replacement air spring in a dump truck.
According to a press release from the Government of Ontario’s press bulletin, while inflating a bag with compressed air, “the plastic base exploded, sending shards of shrapnel flying in all directions. The worker was struck by many of the projectiles, suffering extensive injuries. The worker was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead.”
According to the Ontario Government, it is mandated that those working in the repair industry must partake in mandatory safety training, including apprentices and although Ruggieri’s was registered with Ontario’s apprenticeship training program, they have not been active since 1991.
The company had referred to the deceased as their apprentice mechanic.
According to reports, Ruggieri’s failed to ensure that the worker was a licensed apprentice or mechanic and was unable to provide any evidence suggesting that the worker “would have been shown how to do the installation of the air spring safely.”
“Specifically, the accused failed to provide sufficient information and/or instruction and/or supervision to the worker regarding a safe method of installing a shock-absorbing airbag in a dump truck,” stated the Ministry of Labour.
In addition to the $85, 000, Ruggieri Brother’s Automotive Ltd. must pay a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge that will be credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.
For more information on this case, visit news.ontario.ca
One Response
This is a terrible tragedy. Auto repair shops are responsible for making sure that their employees are properly trained and educated for all auto repairs before they asked to perform them. Having an employee perform a job that they are not trained and authorized to do is putting their employees health and safety at risk. This should be a valuable lesson for all auto repair shops. http://www.ShiffletAutoCare.com