MONTREAL – The Commission de la santé et la sécurité du travail (CSST) has released its report on last summer’s construction accident that resulted in the death of 30-year-old Saad Syed.
The GEOS Language Academy English teacher was walking past the downtown construction site on de la Montagne St. when a six tonne metal plate near the security perimeter fell out of the construction zone and crushed him.
The CSST’s investigation concluded that the workers were improperly trained and did not attach a proper safety latch to the heavy steel plate, allowing it to become loose.
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The plate broke from its hook and chain as it was being lowered to the ground.
It then fell towards the sidewalk, knocked over the security fence and crushed Syed.
He died from his injuries soon after in the hospital.
Pomerleau, the firm that is building the condos, and Excavation L. Martel, the company that was hired to do the excavation work, have both been fined for negligence by the CSST.
There were several witnesses in the area, including a vacationing family who woke up to the sound of the crash.
“Looking out from up above, our room looks right above this street, we could see a stain of blood,” said Claudia Pensotti.
The signalman responsible for directing traffic around the site also witnessed the accident from a few feet away.
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