Defective organization and work practices contributed to the death of a 56-year-old worker who was struck by steel parts. Last October 19at Duberger Industrial Estate.
That’s according to an investigation report by the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST) released Thursday in Quebec.
On that day, the victim, Jean Bilodeau, worked as a commission agent for Tecno Métal. Returning to the company yard after a delivery, he positioned his pickup truck next to a flatbed trailer where another worker was busy using an overhead crane to load bundles of steel bracing.
According to the CNESST account, the two exchanged a few words and then the victim returned to the trailer of his own vehicle. His colleague, believing he had left the loading zone, carried out a maneuver which accidentally caused one of the over 1,500kg packages to fall on the fifty-year-old.
The latter was hit on the back and trapped between his trailer and a package of steel parts.
No security perimeter
The CNESST concludes that contact between the two packages during the loading maneuver caused the accident. However, investigators stress that the victim may not have been in the path of the fall.
“The organization of work and methods and techniques related to loading operations using overhead cranes were deficient, leading to material falling onto a worker,” the investigation report notes.
Inspector Marie-Pierre Massicot during a press conference on the CNESST results.
Stevens LeBlanc/Journal de Quebec
Also, on the day of the event, “no security perimeter was set up to prohibit access to traffic near the area where the loading operations take place, so the lack of a security perimeter allowed the commission agent to enter the danger zone,” explained Inspector Marie-Pierre Massicot at a press conference.
On the other hand, the system promoted the use of a lifting hook without a safety latch to carry out lateral movement of the load, which is contrary to good practice. However, it cannot be said that only using safe work practices can avoid tragedy.
Penalties are possible
The company, which specializes in manufacturing steel structures, was approved to resume work using an outdoor overhead crane on October 24 after complying with several CNESST requirements, including training and informing workers on the safe use of overhead cranes.
Photo by Dominique Lelievre
On a visit to Techno Metal’s offices, an employee informed its representative Newspaper No comments will be made. However, he noted that the company has taken cognizance of the report and taken appropriate steps.
The company faces fines ranging from $1,900 to several tens of thousands of dollars if convicted. “The possibility of issuing a criminal report following this accident is still under investigation,” said CNESST spokesman David Blouin.
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