Triway Sheet Metal penalized over unguarded brake press injury
Triway Sheet Metal Inc. has been fined $50,000 after a worker was critically injured by a mechanical brake press at the company’s manufacturing facility in Carp, Ont.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour said the company, which manufactures sheet metal, pleaded guilty in Provincial Offences Court in Ottawa to failing to ensure that the machine was equipped with a guard to prevent access to a moving part, as required under Ontario Regulation 851. The offence was contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
How the injury happened
The incident took place on Aug. 13, 2024, at Triway Sheet Metal’s workplace at 114 Willowlea Rd. According to the ministry, the worker was walking past a mechanical brake press, an industrial machine used to bend and form sheet metal, when they tripped.
As the worker fell, they unintentionally activated the pedal that operates the brake press. In trying to brace the fall, the worker came into contact with the brake mechanism and suffered critical injuries. The ministry said the worker was wearing personal protective equipment at the time.
What the law requires
An investigation found that the company had failed to ensure the machine was guarded to stop workers from accessing the exposed moving part. Employers are required under Ontario Regulation 851 to guard any exposed moving part that could endanger a worker. Machine guarding has been a persistent enforcement priority for the Ontario Ministry of Labour.
Justice of the Peace Karen Baum imposed the $50,000 fine following the guilty plea on April 23, 2026. Crown counsel was Patrick Travers.
In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, as required under the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is directed to a provincial fund that assists victims of crime.
The case highlights the continuing legal obligation on employers to ensure machinery is properly guarded, as seen in similar prosecutions across Ontario's manufacturing sector. In this instance, the ministry concluded that the absence of adequate guarding on the brake press contributed to a serious workplace injury.
