Employer accused of failing to carry out adequate hazard assessments with workers, among others
One employer is now facing charges for a deadly incident in 2024.
Rylex Machine & Supply Ltd. is facing 12 charges under Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Act in connection with the death of a worker at its east Edmonton facility two years ago, according to a CBC report.
The worker was fatally injured on March 4, 2024, after becoming entangled in equipment at the machine shop, CBC reported. The charges, filed on Jan. 16 and listed on an Alberta government website that tracks workplace safety violations, relate to alleged failures to ensure the worker’s safety. CBC says the incident occurred when the worker was pulled into the rotating workpiece on a lathe, a machine commonly used for metal or woodworking.
Failure to safely operate machinery
According to CBC’s reporting on the provincial charge documents, Rylex Machine & Supply Ltd., the man’s employer, is accused of failing to operate the machinery in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and of failing to carry out adequate hazard assessments with workers. The company is also alleged to have failed to implement proper training, supervision and safeguards for employees working around moving machinery.
The charges further allege that the employer did not ensure personal protective equipment (PPE) was used in a way that did not itself endanger the worker, CBC reported. Court records cited by CBC indicate the man was allegedly wearing gloves and long sleeves while working at the lathe, which would be contrary to safety regulations intended to prevent clothing from being caught in rotating parts.
Provincial records referenced by CBC show that, in the weeks following the worker’s death, occupational health and safety inspections led to a series of safety and stop‑work orders at the facility. Those records now indicate the company is considered in compliance.
Rylex Machine & Supply, a custom manufacturer of flanges and fittings, declined to comment on the allegations when contacted by CBC News.
The company is scheduled to make its first court appearance at the Edmonton Court of Justice on March 13.
Safety around machinery
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), the hazards associated with working near or on machinery vary depending on the exact machine used but can include exposure to:
- moving parts (e.g., risk of injuries from entanglement, friction, abrasion, cutting, severing, shearing, stabbing, puncturing, impact, crushing, drawing-in or trapping, etc.)
- energy (e.g., electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, etc.)
- heat or cold
- noise
- vibration
- radiation
- gas or liquid under pressure (e.g., injuries from injection or ejection by hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, compressed air, paint sprayers, etc.)
- psychosocial hazards (e.g., stress, job content, work organisation, cognitive factors, etc.)
“Because there are many different types of machines and processes, a risk assessment should be conducted for each machine or situation, and in some cases, before each use. It may be necessary to involve individuals with specialized or technical expertise,” according to the government agency.
