Slabs were ‘improperly loaded into the container, causing the floor to deform and a support to break’
Dangerous unloading practices and unstable loading of heavy quartz slabs directly caused the death of a Quebec worker crushed inside a shipping container, the province’s workplace safety regulator has found. The Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) concluded that the man died after being placed in the fall zone of an improperly secured load, The Canadian Press reported.
In its investigation, cited by CP, the regulator found that “dangerous work practices are to blame for the death of a worker trapped under a stack of quartz slabs that toppled over as they were being unloaded from a container.” The findings point to critical failures in both how the slabs were arranged for transport and how they were handled during unloading.
The incident occurred on July 1 at Comptoir Supérieur in Farnham, in Quebec’s Estrie region, while the worker was involved in removing the slabs from a container, according to The Canadian Press.
Worker positioned in hazardous fall zone
Investigators determined the man was working inside the container in close proximity to the heavy stone panels at the time of unloading. The CNESST report notes that “the worker was positioned in a hazardous area inside the container during the unloading process,” a factor that left him with no safe escape route once the load moved, according to CP.
When the straps securing the slabs were released, the panels tipped over and pinned the man against the container wall. He was pronounced dead at the scene, CNESST found.
The CNESST investigation also identified significant deficiencies in how the quartz slabs had been loaded and supported inside the container before arrival at the workplace.
Inspectors concluded that the slabs were “improperly loaded into the container, causing the floor to deform and a support to break, compromising their stability,” according to CP’s summary of the findings. Those structural failures reduced the container’s ability to keep the slabs upright once restraints were removed.
The container held 72 quartz slabs with a combined weight of 24,768 kilograms, the report said.
Safe unloading of slabs
Here are some safety measures around the unloading of slabs, according to several government sources:
|
# |
Safety measure |
Issuing body |
|
1 |
Before removing restraints, inspect the slabs, their supports, and the container floor; if a risk is detected, stop work and correct it before continuing. |
CNESST (Quebec, provincial) — Comptoir supérieur investigation |
|
2 |
Apply a work method that never positions the handler in the fall zone of the slabs. |
CNESST (Quebec, provincial) — Comptoir supérieur investigation |
|
3 |
Report any cargo-related hazard back to the supplier so corrections are made on subsequent shipments. |
CNESST (Quebec, provincial) — Comptoir supérieur investigation |
|
4 |
Identify the hazards before starting any lifting operation involving heavy slabs. |
CNESST (Quebec, provincial) — Les granites de la montagne investigation |
|
5 |
Ensure slab supports are fitted with a retention system that prevents the slabs from tipping. |
CNESST (Quebec, provincial) — Les granites de la montagne investigation |
|
6 |
Arrange supports so slabs can be handled from the front, giving the forklift operator proper positioning and visibility. |
CNESST (Quebec, provincial) — Les granites de la montagne investigation |
|
7 |
Organize the work, methods and techniques so workers are never in the slabs’ trajectory once the slabs are free to tip. |
CNESST (Quebec, provincial) — Les granites de la montagne investigation |
|
8 |
Keep all workers out of the “fall shadow” during unloading. |
WorkSafeBC (British Columbia, provincial) |
|
9 |
Park the delivery truck on a level surface, use outriggers if needed, and level the bed as much as possible. |
WorkSafeBC (British Columbia, provincial) |
|
10 |
Inspect the container, truck, A-frames, poles and wood footings for cracks, rust, bends and wear before unloading. |
WorkSafeBC (British Columbia, provincial) |
|
11 |
Factor in weather conditions (slabs are particularly unstable in wind) and delay work if conditions are unsafe. |
WorkSafeBC (British Columbia, provincial) |
|
12 |
Remove bracing in a planned sequence so workers stay clear of bundles that may shift. |
WorkSafeBC (British Columbia, provincial) |
|
13 |
Use mechanical devices rated for the load (truck cranes, forklifts, overhead cranes, slab dollies, suction lifts, scissor clamps); treat manual lifting as a last resort. |
WorkSafeBC (British Columbia, provincial) |
|
14 |
Produce a documented safe-work procedure, train workers in it, and supervise the work. |
CCOHS (federal Crown corporation) — Materials Handling |
|
15 |
Provide mechanical handling equipment matched to the task; inspect it before each use; repair or replace defective equipment before use. |
CCOHS (federal Crown corporation) — Materials Handling |
|
16 |
Conduct a hazard-based PPE assessment; in heavy-equipment work zones this generally means a hard hat, CSA-certified protective footwear, and high-visibility clothing. |
CCOHS (federal Crown corporation) — Working Safely Around Heavy Equipment |
|
17 |
Use a competent signaller or spotter, trained to CSA Standard Z150, when operators have restricted visibility or blind spots. |
CCOHS (federal Crown corporation) — Working Safely Around Heavy Equipment |
|
18 |
Use a structured planning tool (such as IRSST’s manual-handling assessment grid) to produce a written, hazard-assessed procedure before the task begins, rather than improvising on site. |
IRSST (Quebec OHS research institute / think tank) |
