Woodstock, ON – Woodstock Auto Recyclers Ltd., a Woodstock automobile wrecking yard, was fined $60,000 for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after three workers were injured.
On November 16, 2010, three workers were inside the company’s Woodstock facility. One of the workers was removing a gas tank from a car. The gas tank had not been emptied. Gasoline spilled out of the tank and was ignited by a nearby inspection lamp. A fire started and the emergency exit was blocked, forcing the workers to run to the other end of the building to escape. All three workers received burns and smoke inhalation.
Woodstock Auto Recyclers Ltd. was fined $55,000 for failing to provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker for the safe removal of a gas tank. The company was also fined $5,000 for failing to ensure that emergency exits were free from obstructions.
The fines were imposed by Justice of the Peace Sonia Aleong. In addition to the fines, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.