Accuristix convicted in employee death

NEWMARKET, Ontario – Accuristix Inc. pleaded guilty and was fined $125,000 after an employee was fatally struck by a truck.

On January 29, 2018, a truck was parked at the loading dock of the Accuristix Inc. warehouse facility located at 121 Stone Ridge Road in Vaughan.

A worker exited the warehouse facility using a shipping door next to the loading docks. At the same time, the truck that had been parked at the loading dock began to drive away.

The truck struck the worker, causing fatal injuries.

A Ministry of Labour investigation determined that there were no barriers, warning signs or other safeguards in place to protect workers from the dangers of vehicle traffic at the time the incident occurred.

Section 20 of Ontario Regulation 851 (the Industrial Establishments Regulation) states that barriers, warning signs or other safeguards for the protection of all workers in an area shall be used where vehicle or pedestrian traffic may endanger the safety of any worker.

Accuristix Inc. failed as an employer to ensure that barriers, warning signs or other safeguards were used where vehicle traffic endangered the safety of a worker.This contravened section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act as prescribed by section 20 of Regulation 851.

In addition to the fine the court also imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.