ST. THOMAS, Ont. (Nov. 4, 2004) — A jury sitting on a coroner’s inquest into the accidental death of a 47-year-old Bothwell, Ont., gravel truck driver suggested that the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Labour take steps to improve safety in the gravel-hauling and mining sectors of the trucking industry.

Serge Blais died April 14, 2003 from severe chest trauma sustained while unloading his gravel truck at the Johnston Brothers Gravel Ltd. yard on Johnston Line near Rodney.

The St. Thomas Times Journal reported that fellow driver Gordon Urquhart told jurors he was five or six minutes behind Blais and was the first on the scene of the accident, where he saw the trailer on its side on top of the tractor. He added the tractor was parked at a 90-degree angle to the trailer with the box raised more than two metres into the air to begin unloading the gravel, the newspaper reported. He said drivers need to keep the tractor and trailer straight and level before hoisting to dump.

Jurors cited the lack of documented evidence of proper training of drivers, no additional training in the operation of specialized vehicles and no written means of communication regarding safety practices as factors in the accident at the storage area of the yard, the Times Journal reported.

The testimony convinced jurors to recommend that the MTO and the Ministry of Labour establish clearly defined training requirements and written safety procedures geared to surface mining companies.

Following are some of the recommendations made by the jury:

— That surface mining companies put training requirements and specific safety procedures in written form. These should be made available to all employees both new and existing.

— That surface mining companies establish a written emergency response plan that includes notification of relatives of employees involved in serious accidents.

— That surface mining operators be encouraged to establish a manual for training new drivers and ongoing training of employees, making sure all employees are aware of new safety measures.

— That the Ministry of Labour either establish or encourage employees in the trucking industry to consider drafting plans for potential emergency action plans.

— That the Ministry of Labour, in co-operation with the MTO, develop additional training for individuals with AZ licenses that operate specialized vehicles/

— That surface mining operators are to have a supervisor where possible to check on the dumping of loads.

— That the Ministry of Labour consider developing more specific guidelines regarding acceptable distances for the maneuvering of vehicles so that dumping as close to zero degrees is possible.

— And that surface mining operators review current dumping practices and take steps to ensure that all hazards are clearly posted.

— from the St. Thomas Times Journal