January 30, 2013

Two workers seriously injured after two jobsite incidents in Abbotsford

WorkSafeBC is investigating the cause of two major workplace incidents within a 24-hour period at separate sites in Abbotsford, B.C., in which two construction workers were seriously injured.

“A worker went through an alarmed barrier gate into a machine that was in operation,” said WorkSafeBC spokesperson Megan Johnston.

“He was going to investigate a problem with the machinery, when he became caught and was seriously injured.”

The first incident happened late in the afternoon on Jan. 22 at Mutual Materials, which is a concrete products manufacturing operation located at 2979 McCallam Road in Abbotsford.

“He suffered from fractures and lacerations,” said Johnston.

“He was airlifted to hospital.”

The Abbotsford Times reported that the worker suffered serious leg and possible pelvic injuries after being crushed between two pieces of machinery. The man was pinned against another machine by a forklift running on a track.

A landing zone for the air ambulance was set up on site, and the man was transported to Royal Columbian Hospital in stable condition.

Johnston said the case is being handled by fatal and serious incident investigators.

The second incident happened at about 8 a.m. on Jan. 23 in the underground parking of a Walmart that is under construction at High Street Mall.

“A worker sustained serious injuries to the head and neck, when he was trapped between the top rail of a scissor lift and the building,” said WorkSafeBC spokesperson Ally Skinner-Reynolds.

“He was taken to the hospital in critical condition.”

According to the Abbotsford Times, the worker’s head contacted a sprinkler head above him.

As a result, the unconscious man had to be removed by Abbotsford firefighters from the operator’s bucket of the scissor lift using the Jaws of Life.

Skinner-Reynolds said the incidents are under investigation.

JOC NEWS SERVICE

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