Former colleague warned employer about need for protection system
Liam Johnston died on Thursday June 8 in a trench collapse in Calgary. A former employee says his death was preventable, and the North American Excavation Shoring Association (NAXSA) says a trench box, also known as a trench shield, proved to be the difference between life and death.
“Had a trench box been there and in use, it would have saved the guy's life,” says James McRay with NAXSA.
The 27-year-old plumber was working for Mr. Mike’s Plumbing, and on that fateful day he was asked to help with sewer repairs in the city’s Charleswood community. Johnston descended into a hole about three to six metres deep to access a sewer line. One of the trench walls unexpectedly collapsed. Johnston was buried under dirt and debris that fell on top of him from the steep slope above.
It took emergency crews all day to try and rescue Johnston. They used an excavator and a vacuum truck, and it wasn’t until later that night that Johnston’s lifeless body was recovered by the rescue team.
Fire investigators say there was no trench box present when Johnston went into the hole.
Warning texts ahead of tragedy
Jon Malley knew Johnston and worked for Mr. Mike’s Plumbing until December of last year. He tells CTV News that in March 2022 he sent text messages to upper management notifying them about the walls on a job site not being properly shored up.
Malley says he asked for a trench box to be used at all future projects to protect employees from a potential collapse.
"I felt sick to my stomach because it was 100 percent preventable,” says Malley, who wants to see someone held accountable for Johnston’s death. "This is totally (an) avoidable tragedy. Liam wasn't given the opportunity to go to school for first-year plumbing or anything like that. He was robbed of his life and his career."
Emily Gofton, Johnston’s girlfriend, says he expressed concerns about the job site the night before he died, calling it “a big mess” with a lot of “unexpected things” happening on the site. His last text message to Gofton was “tomorrow is going to be a rough day.”
Both the Calgary Police Service and Alberta Occupational Health and Safety are investigating the circumstances surrounding Johnston's death.
Comments from the company
Mr. Mike's Plumbing released a statement expressing profound sadness. The company acknowledged Johnston as an upstanding individual and a valued member of their team, emphasizing the immense loss his absence leaves behind. They extend their deepest condolences to all who knew and loved him.
The company also says it will not comment on allegations of unsafe work practices from former employees or on Johnston’s death.
"While we understand your desire to gather additional details, we have decided to maintain our stance of not providing any further comments or interviews at this time," said Amanda Ruf, a spokesperson, to the local CTV News outlet. "We believe it is essential to allow the ongoing investigation process to proceed without interference, ensuring fairness and respect for all parties involved."
Why trench boxes save lives
Trench collapses are not uncommon, and McRay, who is a communications specialist for NAXSA, says nobody has ever died or been injured in a collapse when a trench box has been used to the engineering specifics. “That is the simple, most common trench protection system life-saving device. If it isn’t there, then that's not going to protect anybody on the job.”
One of NAXSA’s objectives is to educate industry about trench safety, especially those that don’t regularly engage in underground construction work, like plumbing or mechanical contractors.
“Ultimately, if you know a worker whose job is to go down into a trench, whatever reason, before they step on that ladder, they're just going to ask themselves the question, is this trench safe? Could this trench collapse? We want to just get that question into their mind that may save their life,” says McRay.
NAXSA offers several trench safety resources, including a search tool that helps connect businesses with trench safety experts in their area. It has two members in Calgary.
