$100K fine awarded to Brampton bottle-manufacturer after worker sustains permanent injury

BRAMPTON, Ont. - A bottle-manufacturing company with a plant in Brampton, Ont. has been fined $100,000 after a workplace accident caused permanent injuries to an employee's hand.

Ontario's Ministry of Labour says it launched an investigation into O-I Canada Corp. after the incident in February 2016.

The ministry says the worker had teamed up with the operator of a bottle-making machine to inspect the device and change neck rings and plungers.

It says the worker reached inside the machine to retrieve a fallen neck ring when the bottle mould was closed, which was usually a safe activity, but the mould opened and crushed the worker's hand against a shaft for several minutes.

The ministry says the worker required surgery and ultimately sustained a permanent injury.

The ministry says it found the company did not take proper precautions to ensure that moulds did not re-open and pose a hazard to workers.

O-I pleaded guilty on Tuesday to failing to comply with a regulation under the province's Occupational Health and Safety Act.