Montreal has completely banned its firefighters from playing sports in the garages of its stations, after a worker was seriously injured last summer while playing pickleball.
The firefighter fell through a glass door, smashing it and inflicting extremely deep cuts on himself that will likely keep him out of work for years, according to his union.
He is not the only Montreal firefighter who was injured in such a context. Around 16 work accidents and incidents related to fitness activities have been recorded over the last two years in the barracks, according to a report from the Standards, Equity, Health and Safety Commission of work (CNESST). These events range from the most benign to the most serious.
“A need is present for the supervision of fitness practices for firefighters during shifts,” indicates the document, obtained under the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information. “Further analysis needs to be done. »
Until the accident, Montreal firefighters used the space in their fire station (sometimes by taking out the trucks) to have fun while exercising. “The guys were playing hockey, volleyball,” explained Chris Ross, president of the Montreal Firefighters Association (APM), last week.
It was a game of pickleball (a racket sport) that turned into a tragedy for a firefighter from station 38, in Pointe-aux-Trembles, last July. “An imbalance led the worker to hit the garage door and smash two low windows on the garage door,” relates the CNESST report. “He opened his arms like Subway “, sums up Mr. Ross, referring to the submarine buns sliced all the way through.
” We do not have a choice ”
Since then, the sport has remained prohibited in barracks garages. A first administrative directive was issued in July and this was renewed until the end of next January. It is likely to be made permanent, according to the CNESST.
The majority of the 66 stations of the Montreal Fire Department (SIM) are equipped with exercise rooms with fitness equipment, but the practice of team sports is practically impossible. A few rare barracks have sports fields.
“While awaiting the results of the investigation, a joint committee has been set up to collect the necessary information in order to review the supervision of sports activities in the barracks,” indicated Guy Lapointe, head of division at SIM. “This ban does not cover the use of places that are designed specifically for the purposes of sporting activities. »
Mr. Lapointe affirmed that the SIM continues to work with employee representatives on this issue. The APM also agrees with the employer’s decision to ban sport in fire station garages.
“We have no choice,” said Mr. Ross. Even more so, he said, as firehouse garages are contaminated by carcinogenic residues from equipment used to fight fires. “It’s not necessarily the place for fitness either,” he added. We need to paint a picture and look at other possible solutions. »
The SIM had already banned certain sports practices in its barracks. Since 2015, “the SIM has intervened on a few occasions to specifically prohibit specific activities (e.g.: 300 lb flip pull, box jump and climbing wall)”.