January 8, 2010

Harnesses worn by workers in Christmas Eve tragedy not solidly secured: police

'If it's not affixed to anything it's useless,' detective says

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

Toronto police say that the four construction workers who died in the Christmas Eve swing-stage tragedy were wearing harnesses at the time of the accident, but just one had a lanyard attached to his harness.

Five workers were on the swing stage at the Kipling Avenue apartment renovation site when it broke apart the afternoon of Dec. 24.

Four workers plunged 13 storeys to their deaths and a fifth survived but is in critical care.

In a published report Jan. 7, Toronto police state that only one of the four deceased had a lanyard attached to his harness but he was not tied-off.

"The harness without a lanyard, even one with a lanyard but not attached, if it’s not affixed to anything it’s useless," Det. Kevin Sedore told Canadian Press.

At a vigil held the evening of Jan. 7 at the accident site, speakers called for increased vigilance at construction sites to ensure enforced safety standards and training, improved worker rights for migrant and undocumented workers and that the death of the Christmas Eve victims not go in vain.

Among the speakers was George Pappas, a United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America member, who wore a harness during his address to vigil attendees.

Pappas said, in an interview after the vigil, that he felt compelled to make a public plea about using a harness.

"Someone died here and this was a horrendous event at one of the worst possible times, during Christmas," said Pappas. "This was unacceptable and preventable.

"It is everyone’s responsibility at a site. It is not just an employer's fault. It is not just a supervisor's fault. It is not just an employee's fault. It is everybody having to work together."

Pappas said if workers are properly trained about working on swing stages and fall-protection systems, there is no excuse for the lack of use of a harness.

He said the roughly $100 cost of a harness is the smartest investment a worker can make, besides using it properly.

In response to the accident, Ontario’s Ministry of Labour published a safety and information bulletin for the safe use, maintenance and inspection of suspended work platforms.

The ministry also launched an enforcement blitz of suspended platforms at construction sites.

Among the points noted in the ministry alert are:

•A worker who is on or is getting on or off a suspended platform or suspended scaffold must wear a full body harness

•Every suspended scaffold that consists of more than one platform, and every suspended platform that weighs, together with its components, more than 525 kilograms, must be designed by a professional engineer and erected in accordance with the design drawings.

A professional engineer must inspect it prior to its first use and issue a written report in regard to the inspection.

-with files from Canadian Press

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