Barrie manufacturer fined $50K for ‘critical’ workplace injury

Napoleon, fireplace manufacturer, in Barrie, Ont. (File Image)

The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills development reported this week that Wolf Steel Ltd., the Barrie-based manufacturer of Napoleon grilling products, was fined for a workplace injury incident that dates back to October 2022.

The ministry describes that on October 24, 2022, a worker was ‘critically’ injured after they were toppled by wood pieces they had been moving on a four-wheeled wooden cart.

An investigation carried out by the ministry claimed that Wolf Steel Ltd. did not take the necessary precautions to ensure that the cart was safe to use for lifting, carrying or moving the material. The ministry cited violations of Ontario regulations that hold employers accountable for the safety of their workers.

After pleading guilty in a Barrie provincial offences court, Wolf Steel Ltd. was fined $50,000 for the incident. The court also imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, one that is credited to a special provincial government fund to help crime victims.

The ministry confirms Wolf Steel Ltd. replaced all their wooden carts with manufactured carts that comply with specifications and load capacities.