OHS Canada Magazine

Coroner investigating worker’s death at New Westminster truck trailer facility


April 8, 2018
By The Canadian Press
Health & Safety Transportation british columbia occupational health and safety Transportation Workplace accident -- fatality

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. – The BC Coroners Service and WorkSafeBC are investigating a worker’s death at a truck-trailer loading facility in New Westminster, B.C.

Coroners’ spokesman Andy Watson said the incident occurred Friday morning and WorkSafeBC says it appears the worker was struck by a vehicle.

Watson said the service is still determining exactly how the worker died and whether it can make any recommendations regarding deaths in similar circumstances.

Jordan Atkins, vice-president of Western Transloading Corp., which operates the facility, said the driver was picking up a container on behalf of delivery company TBC Group.

While Atkins said there were no witnesses, and the incident occurred in a three-metre space between a building and the view of a surveillance camera.

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“We were notified of the situation when one of the drivers came and alerted us that someone had been injured. We called police, the ambulance showed up, a couple of our employees here tried to resuscitate him and were unsuccessful,” Atkins said.

“What I do know of the driver who passed away is he’s extremely experienced, he’s been in the industry for more than 19 years from what I understand.”

New Westminster police say in a release they are also investigating the death at a location in the Queensborough neighbourhood.

Sgt. Jeff Scott says it’s a tragic event and their thoughts are with the family of the person killed.

Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement is are also present at the scene.

Copyright (c) 2018 The Canadian Press

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