Printing press fell on worker and crushed his legs
Ray Donn Toews Building Materials Ltd., which is the owner of Castle Building Centres in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, has been fined $56,000 after pleading guilty in Moose Jaw Provincial Court to one violation of The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020.
On September 9, 2021, a worker was seriously injured after printing press fell on him. The incident led to three charges against the company, but two of those charges were later withdrawn.
Moose Jaw Today reports the incident happened at the Grand Valley Press yard and involved Douglas Zinkhan, who is both the co-owner of Grand Valley Press and an employee at Castle Building Centres.
Zinkhan was being assisted by a forklift operator while unloading the recently purchased printing press. The machine shifted and toppled over. Zinkhan tried to hold it up, but was unable to, and it crushed his legs. The force ripped his heels out of his ankle sockets.
Zinkhan suffered a broken leg, and his right foot was hanging by tendons. In the end doctors were able to save his foot. His leg required three plates and about 30 screws.
The company was found guilty of contravening clause 3-1(b) of the regulations, which states that an employer must comply with the duties of an employer at a place of employment, including arrangements for the use, handling, storage, and transport of articles and substances in a manner that protects the health and safety of workers.
The Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, which oversees workplace safety in Saskatchewan, was responsible for investigating the incident and bringing the charges against the company.
Employers are reminded of their legal obligations to ensure the health and safety of their employees while performing their duties. Violations of occupational health and safety regulations can lead to severe consequences, as demonstrated in this case.
