The mega-construction of the City of Montreal’s wastewater ozonation plant was partially stopped by the authorities last summer, after a worker fell 9 meters to the bottom of a concrete structure.
The man was in “critical condition” when he was rescued. He is better today, but suffered significant injuries.
At the time of the accident, an opening in a raised concrete slab was covered with a single sheet of unsecured plywood.
“For an undetermined reason, the plywood was moved and Mr. fell into the opening,” indicates the report from the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST). This situation caused a danger of “falling which could cause serious injury to a worker, or even death”.
The organization’s inspector immediately closed this part of the site – an exceptional gesture – so that corrective measures could be made. A resumption of work was authorized the following week.
Coffrage Alliance, the victim’s employer, did not want to comment on the situation.
“Every year we have deaths”
“The City of Montreal extends its heart to the worker who was injured in this accident and who fortunately recovered well from his injuries,” said public relations officer Hugo Bourgoin, in a statement sent by email.
“The ozonation project at the Jean-R.-Marcotte station is a major project made up of several lots,” he continued. The event you are referring to led to the shutdown of only part of the site, namely the construction of the building where the accident occurred, for a week last summer. »
Simon Lévesque, responsible for health and safety issues at the FTQ-Construction, emphasized that the dangers of falling from height normally constitute a priority for the CNESST, which applies a “zero tolerance” policy towards them.
“A 30 foot fall [9 mètres], It’s not nothing. It’s very high,” he lamented in a telephone interview. “Every year, we have deaths linked to falls from height. »
“It’s not normal that floor openings aren’t better protected,” he continued. The way we are going to get out of this is by tightening the regulations on falls from height. »
With a budget approaching a billion dollars, the wastewater ozonation project is the largest municipal project in Montreal. It is located at the eastern end of the island.