Falling truck kills worker, 61, at Edmonton auto-parts shop

(Canadian OH&S News) — A 61-year-old employee of a business that sells recycled vehicle parts was killed in a workplace accident while he was working underneath a truck in east Edmonton on Dec. 29.

According to Lauren Welsh, a spokesperson for the Alberta Ministry of Labour (MOL), the incident occurred at about 4 p.m. that day, at Jasper Auto and Truck Parts Ltd.

“A worker was working under a truck chassis when it fell and pinned him,” she said. A chassis is the base frame of a vehicle.

Emergency medical services were called to the scene immediately, added Welsh, but “he was declared dead at the scene.”

Occupational health and safety officials from the MOL attended the scene. “A stop-work order was issued at the time, but has since been lifted. It was just on the area where the incident occurred,” said Welsh. The Ministry is currently investigating the fatality.

Welsh could not confirm whether police had also attended the scene of the incident.

Local media reports have stated that the victim was alone at the time of the accident, although the shop was open.

A source with Jasper declined to comment to COHSN on the employer’s behalf.

Founded in 1946 and family-owned, Jasper Auto and Truck Parts sells both new and used parts for cars, trucks, minivans and SUVs at discounted prices. The company also offers repairs and installations, according to information from its website.