Guess Canada fined $50,000 for worker injury
On May 14, 2009, Guess Canada, a national clothing and accessories retailer, was fined $50,000 for a violation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) after a worker was seriously injured.
The incident happened on October 7, 2007, at the company’s Bloor St. W. location. A worker was attempting to return a box to the top shelf, by standing on an eight-foot, A-frame ladder in the storage room. The ladder gave way and the worker fell to the floor, causing him the worker to lose consciousness and sustain back injuries.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found that the ladder was too wide for the storage room, which meant the worker couldn’t fully open it and lock it into place to prevent it from collapsing.
Guess Canada pleaded guilty under the OHSA to failing, as an employer, to ensure that the worker could carry, move and lift store merchandise safely. The fine was imposed by Justice of the Peace Mary Anne Ross Hendriks. In addition to the fine, the court also imposed a 25% victim fine surcharge on the total, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.
Tags: fine, MOL, Retail Safety
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