Ontario textile manufacturer fined after worker suffers chemical burns
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
The worker was burned when transferring sulfuric acid from a 45-gallon drum to a small plastic bottle
WOODSTOCK, Ont.—An Ontario textile company and subsidiary of international auto parts and tire firm Bridgestone Corp. has been fined $70,000 for a worker injury at a manufacturing plant in Woodstock, Ont.
The worker was injured in an incident involving sulfuric acid at the Firestone Textiles Company in September 2015. The company makes nylon resins and yarns used in rope and mesh products at the plant.
According to the Ministry of Labour, a Firestone technician was preparing to use sulfuric acid in a lab test when the accident occurred. Using an electric pump, hose and nozzle, the worker was transferring sulfuric acid from a 45-gallon drum to a two-litre plastic bottle when the nozzle detached from the bottle due to high pressure.
The worker was not wearing sufficient protective gear to prevent injuries and suffered minor chemical burns.
In a Woodstock courtroom late last week, Firestone Textiles pleaded guilty violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act for not ensuring the worker was wearing the proper gear.
