Chapleau lumber mill operator fined $250K for 2018 fatality.

Rayonier Advanced Materials has been fined $250,000 by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development following a 2018 incident at its Chapleau lumber mill that killed a forklift operator.

At the time, local news reports identified the deceased as 60-year-old William Pye.

The Chapleau mill produces softwood lumber products and wood chips, employing 150 people.

According to the ministry, the incident occurred on May 25, 2018, while the mill was still owned by Tembec Industries Inc. and operating as Ryam Lumber.

Rayonier acquired the mill from Tembec just six days later, on May 31.

On the day of the incident, the ministry said, a worker was removing bundles of wood from the lumber mill's kiln and placing them in the yard.

There were no eyewitnesses to the account. However, the ministry believes the worker had placed a load of wood in the yard, reversed the loader, and then got out of the machine to place three "crossers" (small pieces of wood) on the pile, so as to create a space between the original bundle and the next bundle to be placed on top of it.

After placing two crossers, the worker was in the process of placing a third crosser when the loader rolled forward and pinned the worker between the loader and the wood bundle.

The worker died as a result of the subsequent injuries.

Through investigation, the ministry determined there were no mechanical defects in the loader's braking system; however, it was determined that the brake actuator had been modified by the addition of a spring which made the parking...