Deficient work method caused worker's fatal electrocution in Laval: CNESST

The logo of the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) photographed on February 22, 2024 in Laval. (Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press)

The Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) has concluded that a deficient work method in controlling electrical energy caused the death of a worker for an irrigation company in Laval in June 2023.

The worker was electrocuted while installing a lawn irrigation system connected to a submersible pump in Rivière des Prairies.

According to the report, the man was found with the lower part of his legs in the water, face down on the ground. He was pronounced dead at Sacré-Coeur Hospital, in Montreal's north end. 

The investigation revealed that the submersible pump had no mechanical or electrical issues.

However, an expert analysis conducted by an engineer revealed that the insulating sheath of a conductor near the pump was cracked.

Tests carried out during the investigation demonstrated that this crack, when submerged, could expose the worker to electrical contact, according to the commission. 

-This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 12, 2024.