We doubt that anyone who was in New Westminster in 2003 will forget the story.
Four workers lost their lives while working on a Westminster Marine Services Ltd. barge on the waterfront. All four died of anoxia, or lack of oxygen. When one of the barge workers didn’t return for a coffee break, three others went looking for him – and they didn’t return. A fifth worker took part in the search and managed to call 911 before passing out. Luckily a city firefighter who arrived at the scene recovered after being found at the bottom of the ladder leading to the hold. He was unconscious, but survived.
Perhaps, it’s because we’re a relatively small city, but when tragedy strikes in New Westminster it seems to send ripples affecting us all in some way.
Not so long after that terrible tragedy, a worker at the Weyerhaeuser sawmill was smothered by debris in a grinding machine. His death resulted in a court case, and an appeal, trying to hold the company criminally liable for the accident.
As with many industrial accidents, safety problems had been red-flagged and, yet, issues continued.
The legal attempts to have the company, and, or, company individuals charged failed, quite unfortunately.
The Canadian Labour Congress has indicated that 3,800 Canadians died in workplace accidents over a four-year period.
How many of those could have been prevented by following safety procedures closer, or by ensuring workers were better trained?
In January two workers were killed in a Queensborough lumber yard after being crushed by a load of lumber.
One of those men had only been working for two months. His daughter had brought her parents over from China for a better life in Canada.
Now she has lost a father and her mother has lost her husband. As well, with his death the family has lost his Chinese pension.
City councillor Chuck Puchmayer has set up a trust fund for the families of both of the men.
We know his generosity will be matched in kind by New West citizens, because this community knows of hardship and loss and is a compassionate city.
Statistics show that workers’ deaths remain ‘stable’ from year-to-year. But, in our opinion, one worker’s life lost is one too many.
