Brian Izsak was a 53-year-old roofer who loved to make people laugh. He fell through a roof while working and spent days in a coma before he died.
Rob Morneau was a 44-year-old father who coached little league. He fell through a skylight at work and died.
A 51-year-old man who has not yet been identified was pinned beneath a heavy steel beam on the job Wednesday and died in hospital.
The Ministry of Labour has launched 39 investigations into “industrial incidents” in Windsor-Essex since May 1, including three fatalities and two critical injuries.
“It seems like a lot of fatalities in one year, and it’s still just November,” said Tracie Edward, chair of the Windsor and District Labour Council Day of Mourning Committee, who described the latest death as a “heartbreaking tragedy.”
Workers gather outside R.J. Cyr on Concession 8 where a man was taken to hospital following an industrial accident on Nov. 16, 2016.
Emergency crews responded to R.J. Cyr Co. in Tecumseh around 4 p.m. Wednesday where they worked to free a man trapped under a 1,200-pound beam. He was transported to Windsor Regional Hospital where he later died.
“The incident involved a worker bracing a conveyor component for some painting. It fell over, striking the worker,” ministry spokesperson Janet Deline said Thursday.
The ministry has issued one order to the company — not to disturb the scene of the incident while the investigation is ongoing.
Larry Masotti, a Windsor native and director of strategic relations for Workplace Safety and Prevention Services, said every workplace fatality is caused by a number of factors — simply assigning all the blame to a company or employees is too simplistic.
“It’s difficult to generalize when it comes to workplace fatalities regardless of geography or industry,” he said. “Each one is a tragedy that represents a tremendous loss for a family, organization and community.”
Masotti, who is also a member of Canada’s Safest Employer panel, said workplace safety is a priority in Ontario, but there’s always more that companies can do to ensure a “culture of safety” across the province.
Edward said it’s been a dangerous year for workers in Windsor-Essex and it’s a cause for concern. The labour council has recorded six workplace deaths since April 28, including agricultural accidents.
“Every single fatality is unacceptable,” she said. “Everyone deserves to go home from work safely.”
Veronica Cardoso knows how painful it can be when a loved one goes to work and doesn’t come back.
In 2009, her husband Claudio was painting a 4,000-pound rack at Bravo Cement when he fell off a ladder and the steel rack came down on him.
“When he passed away it was two days of pure crying, and hearing about that man who was crushed on Wednesday brings me and my children back to that day,” she said.
Cardoso’s sons, Mateo and Mauricio, were three and 15 months old at the time of their father’s death. She said her youngest will never know what it’s like to have a father.
“Claudio loved being a dad. That was his favourite thing in the world and I’m just so sad he doesn’t get to enjoy his kids,” she said through sobs. “I miss what our life could have been. I miss our future. It’s a lifetime of grieving.”
The 41-year-old said she feels for the family of the worker who died Wednesday and begged companies to put employee safety before profits.
“Christmas is going to be so tough for that family because it’ll be the first celebration they’ll have without their son or brother,” she said.
“It’s unreal that these kinds of tragedies are still happening, let alone two in almost two weeks.”
Recent Windsor-Essex workplace deaths
Dec. 11 — Michael Maukonen: The 19-year-old roofer loved playing hockey and baseball. He was carrying garbage off a roof when he fell. Maukonen’s father described him as a “happy-go-lucky” teen working hard to pay the bills. After spending months in a coma he died on June 30.
July 15 — Brian Izsak: The 53-year-old was friendly and loved to make people laugh. “He was well-liked by all workers, didn’t matter where he worked,” his brother Glenn told the Star. While working at Goodlife Fitness on Dougall Avenue, Izsak fell through the roof and injured his head. Days later he died on July 26.
Nov. 3 — Ron Morneau: The 44-year-old was a loving father and baseball coach. He was working on the roof of Ventra Plastics when he tripped, fell through a skylight and died. The tragedy of Morneau’s death is compounded by the fact he leaves behind two young sons and his wife, who is battling cancer.
Nov. 16 — The identity of a 51-year-old man who was pinned by a heavy steal beam while working at R.J. Cyr Co., a steel fabricator in Tecumseh, hasn’t been released pending notification of next of kin. A Ministry of Labour investigation into the incident is ongoing.
