Fatal Incident Due to Failure in Lockout/Tagout Procedures in Landscaping

On November 3, 2023, a fatal accident occurred at a landscaping maintenance facility in Toronto, Ontario, resulting in the death of a 29-year-old maintenance technician, Andrew Wilson. Wilson was performing routine maintenance on a large wood chipper when the machine unexpectedly activated, pulling him into the operating blades and causing fatal injuries. The investigation revealed that the company's Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures were not properly followed. Wilson had not isolated the machine from its energy source before beginning his work, and the machine's control panel was not properly tagged to indicate ongoing maintenance. […]