Father and husband killed in workplace accident
The family of a 49-year-old man who died following a workplace accident at a manufacturing facility in Niagara Falls last month say his death was avoidable.
David Norkett was fatally hurt while operating machinery, according to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. The incident happened at Tecna Forge on Saturday June 24 just before 10 a.m.
Paramedics arrived and found Norkett injured. He was taken to hospital, where he later died.
“He was my best friend, a wonderful father. I don’t know how to go on without him,” said his widow, Aimee Corfield, in a television interview with CHCH News. “He had a big sense of humour, very big jolly guy, who would give you the shirt off his back,” says Norkett’s wife of 22 years.
Tecna is a division of Brunner Manufacturing and Sales Ltd. The company won’t comment on the death while the ministry investigates but tell the local news outlet it was a “tragic accident.”
Norkett’s brother-in-law is a former employee at the plant. Peter Corfield says Norkett’s death was preventable.
“They were doing maintenance on one of the machines and what they were doing they shouldn't have been doing. It was a situation that they weren't prepared for. They weren't trained for and they didn't have the equipment to do properly and it got out of their control and they didn't have the ability or the knowledge on how to get it back under control. And Dave was killed.”
A ministry inspector attended the scene and issued one order and one requirement to the employer. Production was suspended following the accident but has since resumed.
Peter Corfield says the tragedy has “destroyed my sister and their two girls,” and has a message for his former employer. “Do better. Clean up your health and safety act.”
Corfield says his sister will receive money through life insurance and the WSIB but says it’s nothing compared to what Norkett would have provided over the next 15 to 20 years. “We miss him terribly.”
