Toronto, ON – Cascades Canada ULC, a multinational packaging and tissue company operating as Cascade Tissue Group – Toronto, was fined $80,000 for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured.
On June 24, 2011, at the company’s facility in Toronto, a worker returning to the receiving area from break was struck by a forklift carrying a large roll of paper. The worker’s leg was injured. The worker was not wearing a safety vest and there were no barriers in the receiving area to protect workers from forklift traffic. Furthermore, the only sign warning of vehicular traffic was posted at the plant’s gatehouse lobby.
Cascades Canada ULC operating as Cascade Tissue Group – Toronto pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that materials were transported in a way and with appropriate precautions to protect the safety of a worker.
The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Ronald Johnston. In addition to the fine, 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.