BY THE INDUSTRY, FOR THE INDUSTRY PAGE | 2
INTRODUCTION
Inadequate Lockout/tag out (LOTO) of equipment has been identified as the top health and safety risk
and opportunity for Ontario's food manufacturing sector following a comprehensive risk assessment that
engaged stakeholders at all levels of the industry.
This revelation strikes a personal chord for Rob Ellis, a father who endured the loss of his 18-year-old son
David in a LOTO incident at a bakery in Oakville, Ontario, in 1999. David, on only his second day on the job,
was killed while removing cookie dough from an industrial ribbon mixer that activated unexpectedly.
In the wake of David's death, Ellis and his daughter Jessica DiSabatino transformed their grief into a positive
force — believing this is what David would have wanted. They co-founded MySafeWork and have travelled
across Canada and the United States over the last two decades with a powerful mission: engaging with
students and collaborating with companies to drive real, sustained change in workplace safety.
"It's disappointing inadedquate LOTO is still the number one risk, disconcerting to hear of the number of
injuries as a result," said Ellis. "We've seen positive changes, but we know there is still a huge amount of work
to be done at all levels."
Unfortunately, inadequate LOTO in the Food Manufacturing industry persists today, as evidenced by the Risk
Assessment and subsequent Root Cause Analysis workshops facilitated by Workplace Safety & Prevention
Services. The workshops brought together worker and management subject matter experts from across
Ontario, including representation from Dare Foods, FGF Brands, MARS Petcare, RDJ Bakeries, Aspire, Cargill
and Mondelēz Canada. With support from Food & Beverage Ontario, Meat & Poultry Ontario and the Ministry
of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), these workshops revealed opportunities
for the industry, as determined by the industry.
According to Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) data, there were 158 lost-
time injury (LTI) claims related to machine contact accounting for 8% of all lost-time
injuries in the food manufacturing, in 2022.
WSIB EIW, 2023
Most common injuries:
29%
Cuts and lacerations
14%
Amputations (including fingertips)
13%
Bruises and contusions
10%
Concussions
10%
Fractures
Contact with machinery, which could
include lockout/tagout (LOTO) injuries:
30%
Specialized food and beverage
processing machinery
16%
Powered conveyors
4%
Cooling and humidifying
machinery
2%
Gravity conveyors
2%
Material handling machinery
1%
Stationary sawing machines
