Country Ribbon Inc Pleads Guilty to Occupational Health and Safety Charges

Service NL announced today that Country Ribbon Inc. has pleaded guilty in Provincial Court to two violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations. The charges resulted from an investigation by the Occupational Health and Safety Branch and related to an incident that occurred in December 2009.

The incident occurred at the company processing facility in Pleasantville, and involved a worker who suffered the partial amputation of one hand while he was cleaning a machine.

The company pleaded guilty to the charge of failure as an employer to ensure its workers, and particularly its supervisors, were made familiar with health or safety hazards at the workplace; and to the charge of failure to ensure that each piece of equipment was used according to safe work practices. The company had been charged with three violations under the act and regulations, but one was withdrawn as part of the guilty plea. The charge against a company supervisor was also withdrawn.

Fines of $10,000 were imposed for each of the two charges, plus a victim fine surcharge of $3,000. In addition, the employer was ordered to provide the sum of $2,000 to be used for the purpose of public education in the area of Occupational Health and Safety.

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Media contact:
Hugh Donnan
Director of Communications
Service NL
709-729-4860, 725-6511
hughdonnan@gov.nl.ca 

2012 06 22             4:05 p.m.