Horror workplace accident kills worker on excavation site in Quebec

Victim got crushed by a piece of machinery

Quebec, June 2 (IANS)

A 36-year-old man was killed Friday in an industrial accident involving heavy machinery at an excavation site in Quebec City, police said.

The accident happened around 10:30 a.m. at a construction site in the Beauport borough, police spokesperson David Pelletier said.

The victim, who worked for a subcontractor, was operating a piece of machinery when he got crushed to death, Pelletier said. His death makes him the sixth person to die in a workplace accident in Quebec in 2023.

The body has been taken to the morgue for an autopsy, a standard procedure in such cases.

The Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST), a provincial agency that investigates workplace accidents, has opened an investigation.

The CSST said it will be looking into the circumstances of the accident, including whether the victim was properly trained and whether the company had adequate safety measures in place.

The company has been ordered to close the site until the investigation is complete.

The CSST said it will also be offering support to the victim's family and colleagues.

In a statement, the CSST urged employers to take all necessary steps to prevent workplace accidents.

"We remind employers of their obligation to ensure the health and safety of their workers," the statement said.

"The CSST will continue to work to prevent workplace accidents and ensure that workers are safe on the job."