PEI·NewThe Workers Compensation Board of P.E.I. said a lack of safety leadership led to a workplace incident that caused an employee at Label Recycling in Charlottetown to lose their legs in July.Island worker lost both legs in July incidentDelaney Kelly · CBC News · Posted: Sep 11, 2025 7:01 PM EDT | Last Updated: 28 minutes agoThe Workers Compensation Board of P.E.I. is reminding Islanders of the importance of knowing their workplace rights, after a worker lost both legs in a workplace incident this summer. (Alex MacIsaac/CBC)The Workers Compensation Board of P.E.I. says a lack of safety leadership led to a workplace incident that caused an employee at Label Recycling in Charlottetown to lose both of their legs in July.In a hazard alert released Thursday, the WCB said the worker was was trying to fix a jam in the feed chute of a cardboard baler — a machine used to compress cardboard into compact bales. The baler’s ram, which moves to compress the cardboard, amputated the worker’s legs.The WCB conducted an investigation, which found the company and supervisors didn’t prioritize safe work practices and that there was a lack of equipment maintenance.In addition, the compensation board said the machine’s safety switch was broken and that it did not power down when the worker went inside to clear a blockage. The board provided a list of recommendations, advising employers to enforce clear safety expectations and inform workers of their basic rights, including: The right to know about workplace hazards. The right to participate in workplace health and safety decisions. The right to refuse unsafe work. ABOUT THE AUTHORDelaney Kelly is a journalist with CBC P.E.I. who studied journalism at Concordia University. She was previously a reporter at Iori:wase in Kahnawake Mohawk Territory.
‘Lack of safety leadership’ contributed to workplace incident that left employee severely injured: WCB
