NEVERENDING ON THE JOB DEATHS IN ONTARIO (CANADA)

Last Saturday's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story titled "Inquest jury offers 17 suggestions following work site fatality". Maybe right there is the whole problem. "suggestions" don't seem to be cutting it here. Waterloo Region alone has had far too many unecessary, premature deaths due to on the job safety shortcuts still being far too prevalent. I personally worked in the construction sector off and on for years and never so much as saw an inspector from the Ministry of labour. Safety culture, at least in non-union companies, I found to be non-existent. If you wanted to keep your job, you kept your mouth shut.

The fatal accident on October 13, 2013 claimed the life of Nick Lalonde, a 23 year old father of a very young child. Apparently there was "...no place for him to fasten a security rope and workers signalling the crane operator were not properly trained.". The Inquest Jury made specific "recommendations", "suggestions" and "encouragement" to the Ministry of Labour, Maison Canada and Central Construction Ltd.. Both comapnies were fined for contraventions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario. Small solace that is for Nick Lalonde's family and friends.