WorkSafeNB opens investigation
A machine operator has died following a workplace incident at a manufacturing facility in Woodstock, N.B., according to a report.
WorkSafeNB confirmed to CTV News that the incident occurred on Wednesday at McDonough Manufacturing on Hemlock Street. The worker was employed at the facility as a machine operator, according to the publication.
WorkSafeNB has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatality but is releasing few details while the probe is underway.
The agency said it is restricted by provincial privacy legislation in what it can disclose about the worker.
“In accordance with both the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RTIPPA) and the Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act (PHIPPA), we can’t release any personal information, such as a worker’s age, or personal health information,” WorkSafeNB said in an email to CTV Atlantic.
CTV News reports that no additional information has been made public about the nature of the incident, the machinery involved or the sequence of events leading to the worker’s death. The investigation by WorkSafeNB remains ongoing.
Safety around machinery
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), 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 organization, cognitive factors, etc.)
“Because there are many different types of machines nd 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 (i.e., engineer, safety professional, manufacturer, etc.),” said the CCOHS.
