The tragic incident in Montreal North that resulted in the death of a worker and injuries to two others has been attributed to a lack of proper training, safety protocols, protective gear, and methods, according to Quebec’s workers’ health and safety board, CNESST.
On September 23, 2023, a devastating accident occurred when the concrete floor of a three-story building collapsed on workers who were demolishing load-bearing walls in the basement.
CNESST’s report, released just before the holidays, highlighted that none of the workers possessed the necessary qualifications for construction site work and had not completed mandatory health and safety training.
Furthermore, inspectors discovered that the workers had not been provided with safety instructions and were not equipped with essential safety gear such as boots, helmets, goggles, or gloves during the operation.
The report emphasized the disorganized work structure and lack of planning, noting the absence of temporary shoring under the ground floor to support the slabs when the load-bearing walls were being removed, leading to the catastrophic collapse.
Tragically, one worker lost his life, while another suffered lower body injuries and a third sustained arm injuries in the incident.
