ST. CATHARINES, ON - The Elmwood Group Limited, a St. Catharines, ON manufacturer of custom cabinetry, was fined $50,000 for a violation of Canada's Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The fine resulted from an investigation into a Nov. 2009 worker injury at the plant, about an hour northwest of Buffalo, NY. The employee's supervisor was also fined $4,000 over the same incident.
In 2009, a worker was using a table saw to cut a wooden part for a cabinet. Towards the end of the cut, the worker noticed a fragment of wood coming loose and reached to grab it, when his hand came in contact with the saw blade and three his fingers were amputated.
An investigation found the table saw was properly equipped with a blade guard, but the guard was not in use.
The Elmwood Group pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the table saw was guarded as did the supervisor.
Elmwood Kitchens' says its production facility spans over 150,000 square feet and includes technologically advanced woodworking equipment. It distributes cabinetry across Canada and the U.S.
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