Investigation underway after worker fell from a roof
In a devastating incident at Syncrude's Mildred Lake site, a contractor working at the Chemtrade facility lost his life after falling from a roof. As a result, operations at the facility have been temporarily halted, and an investigation is now underway, led by Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) department. For privacy reasons, the identity of the deceased worker has not been disclosed.
According to Tim Montgomery, the group vice-president of manufacturing and engineering at Chemtrade, the accident occurred on Thursday morning at around 9 a.m. The contractor had been assigned roof-related tasks as part of his responsibilities. The exact circumstances leading to the tragic fall are currently being examined, with Chemtrade fully cooperating with both OHS and the Wood Buffalo RCMP in their investigations.
In an interview with Postmedia, Montgomery expressed the company's primary concern for the bereaved contractor's family, stating, "From our perspective, we're most concerned about the family of the contractor that passed, and that's where our attention is." The welfare of the affected family remains their utmost priority during this difficult time.
Moreover, Montgomery emphasized that Chemtrade will only resume operations once a thorough understanding of the incident has been attained, and adequate measures are in place to ensure workplace safety. "We're addressing any concerns from our employees. This is a very traumatic and unfortunate event," he affirmed, underlining the significance of prioritizing the well-being of their workforce.
Chemtrade's operations involve the transformation of the slurry produced by Syncrude's ammonia scrubber into ammonium sulphate fertilizer, as stated on the company's website. It is essential to note that Chemtrade operates independently of Syncrude and its majority owner, Suncor.
As the investigation proceeds, both Chemtrade and the authorities involved are determined to ascertain the cause of the incident, hoping to prevent such tragedies in the future. Meanwhile, the thoughts and condolences of the entire community are with the grieving family, and support is being provided to the affected employees and colleagues as they cope with the aftermath of this unfortunate event.
