A Waterloo company has been fined $65,000 in connection with a 2023 workplace incident that led to a worker’s injuries.

Valley Blades Limited, which manufactures blades, cutting edges and other accessories for construction, mining and snow removal equipment, pled guilty to a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in provincial court. The company will also pay a 25 percent victim fine surcharge.

On October 5, 2023, a worker was operating a multi-drill at Valley Blades’ facility on Philip Street in Waterloo.

When swarf (metal shavings) accumulated on the machine table, the worker reached into the machine to remove the swarf without stopping the machine.

The worker was injured when their rubber glove and sleeve got entangled with the swarf and pulled toward the drill.

Valley Blades Limited was found to have failed, as an employer, to ensure that jewellery, loose or dangling clothing or rings were not worn near any rotating shaft, spindle, gear, belt or other source of entanglement, as required by section 83(2) of Ontario Regulation 851/90, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.