Worker was pronounced dead at the scene
One worker was killed after being pinned under a rail car in Pickering in Durham, Ont. on Saturday evening, according to reports.
The 41-year-old worker man was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Durham Regional Police.
The worker was part of a team that was conducting construction and maintenance work on behalf of Go-Transit operator Metrolinx at the 117-year-old Rouge Hill bridge.
“This is absolutely devastating news, our first priority is of course the safety of everyone that works on the railroad, and we are very thankful to all the first responders for their quick and diligent work at the scene,” said Matt Llewellyn, Metrolinx spokesman.
Lakeshore East GO train service was suspended over the weekend while the repair work was being conducted.
Rail service will be disrupted until Tuesday, and possibly beyond, as the investigation continues.
"The real message to our customers is please plan ahead," he said.
Metrolinx staff will be on hand at train stations to assist commuters.
"But it's going to be a modified service and it will take customers a little longer to get where they're going."
The Ontario Ministry of Labour is now investigating the incident, according to reports.
Previously, a driver was killed in a car crash on the Eastern portion of Autoroute 20 in Saint Cyrille-de-Wendover, Quebec. Also, a 73-year-old male taxi cab driver died following a shooting in Scarborough, Ont.
Dangers
Amongst the most dangerous jobs in the world are rail and road workers, according to David Cant, a chartered safety and risk management practitioner.
"While there have been improvements in health and safety in recent years, tragic accidents do still occur on the railway lines. Every year there are news reports of workers being struck by trains, maintenance cars or electrocuted while working on the tracks," he said.
In June, Transport Canada approved the changes to the Rules Respecting Track Safety, which specify safety requirements that railway companies must follow when inspecting and maintaining their railway track infrastructure. It also increased fines on people for trespassing on property where railway lines are located and for not giving way at railway crossings to reduce the number of accidents and incidents on said rail lines.
In 2019, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada found that a lack of training on safe working practices when clearing snow at railway crossings led to a fatal collision between a snowplow and a Canadian National Railway train at a crossing in London, Ont. On Jan. 9, 2018.
