HAMILTON, Ontario — Railcar manufacturer National Steel Car, the target of worker protests last week after a third employee death in 21 months, is also facing charges over two “critical injury” cases, the Hamilton Spectator newspaper reports.
Welder Quoc Le, 51 died June 6, reportedly after the fall of a 2,000-pound metal bulkhead. That led to a rally by members of National Steelworkers Local 7135, asking for police to open a criminal negligence investigation as well as a safety review by the Ministry of Labour [see “Workers protest after employee death …,” Trains News Wire, June 10, 2022].
In an email to the Spectator, lawyers for the company said it was “irresponsible for the union to issue such a statement without any information to support such serious allegations” and argued the newspaper should not report the request.
Previous workplace deaths at National Steel Car involved crane operator Fraser Cowan in September 2020 and painter Collin Grayley in April 2021. The newspaper has also found that the company is facing two occupational health and safety charges from a March 2021 incident for failure to ensure required safe lifting measures and to provide instruction and supervision to workers, in an incident involving a worker assisting a crane operator. It also faces three charges from an unspecified August 2019 incident which alleges the company failed to provide information or instruction about working near an open pit and failing to acquaint a worker or supervisor about hazards in the workplace.
The office of the provincial labour minister said in a statement that the province has issued 78 orders or requirements for the company since June 2021, but would not reveal details.
An “…unspecified August 2109 incident…”? Predicting incidents more than 87 years in the future? Nice crystal ball you’ve got there.