The Incident
On May 7, 2024, a contract worker at NOVA Chemicals Corporation's petrochemical facility in Corunna, Ontario was seriously injured during maintenance operations. Hot boiler feed water was unexpectedly discharged from an exhaust system, striking the worker and causing severe burns.
In January 2026, following a guilty plea in Sarnia Provincial Offences Court, NOVA Chemicals was fined $130,000 by Justice of the Peace Louise Falkiner for failing to ensure that measures and procedures prescribed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act were carried out.
What Went Wrong
The incident occurred during routine maintenance work at the petrochemical facility. The worker was not adequately protected from the hazard of hot liquid discharge from the exhaust system. The fine suggests that proper lockout/tagout procedures and hazard assessments were not followed.
How WHMIS Training Could Have Helped
While this incident involved thermal hazards rather than chemical toxicity, WHMIS training covers several relevant areas:
Hazard Identification: WHMIS training teaches workers to identify all workplace hazards, including physical hazards like extreme temperatures. The exclamation mark pictogram covers irritants and hazards that may not be immediately lethal but can cause serious injury.
Safety Data Sheets: SDS Section 9 (Physical and Chemical Properties) includes information about boiling points, flash points, and other thermal properties. Workers trained in SDS interpretation understand the temperature hazards of the materials in their workplace.
Personal Protective Equipment: SDS Section 8 specifies the PPE required for handling specific materials, including thermal protection. WHMIS training ensures workers know what protection they need before starting any task.
Right to Refuse: WHMIS training reinforces workers' right to refuse unsafe work under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. If a worker identifies an uncontrolled hazard, they have the legal right — and the training — to stop work until it is addressed.
A $130,000 fine cannot undo serious burn injuries. Prevention through proper training and hazard assessment is always the better investment.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Labour / The Safety Mag, January 2026