Federal investigation underway
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is investigating the death of a lighthouse keeper in British Columbia who died alone at work last month.
The worker—who was working alone at a remote station off the coast of British Columbia—was found dead on April 2.
The man was on duty at the Triple Island Lighthouse, located roughly 40 kilometres west of Prince Rupert, when he died during a scheduled shift change, according to a CBC report.
The Canadian Coast Guard confirmed the keeper was working alone at the time, according to the report.
Repeated attempts to contact the worker on the afternoon of April 2 were unsuccessful, noted CBC. A helicopter was dispatched to the site to perform a wellness check, where the pilot found the lighthouse keeper unresponsive. B.C. Emergency Health Services later arrived and pronounced the man dead at the scene.
The lighthouse, which has been in operation since 1920, is accessible only by air and typically staffed by two employees on rotating shifts. However, the Coast Guard has not explained why only one keeper was present during the changeover, according to the report.
Jim Abram, a retired lighthouse keeper and former union representative, told CBC that two-person staffing has long been the standard at remote stations like Triple Island. He expressed concern that this policy was not followed.
“Remote isolated stations are not supposed to be staffed by a single person,” Abram said, noting that the usual practice involves two keepers working 10- to 14-day shifts, followed by relief from a new team.
WorkSafeBC will not be part of the investigation into the incident, according to the report.
