A 34-year-old crane operator was crushed to death by a heavy-duty machine moments after he jumped from it as it toppled while planting piles at a construction site of a shore base facility at Providence, East Bank Demerara. The Ministry of Labour has launched an investigation.
Police say they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Shawn Anthony Joseph, a 34-year-old operator from Number 76 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, which occurred at Lot 49 Parker Street, Providence, East Bank Demerara, at around 11:30 hours on Thursday.
According to a police press release, investigations have so far revealed that Tepui Group, which is owned by Mikhail Rodrigues, also called ‘Guyanese Critic’, has been contracted to build a wharf at Lot 49 Parker Street, Providence.
There are several persons employed with the company, and Joseph was the operator of a crane fitted with a hammer to drive the concrete piles.
At the time of the operation, Joseph was alone in the crane while other workers were nearby. The crane toppled on the wharf, prompting him to jump out of the cab, in an attempt to escape injury. However, he fell onto the wharf and was subsequently pinned by the crane.
An ambulance was summoned and emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene. The body was examined and pronounced dead. Eyewitnesses were interviewed, and efforts got underway to remove the crane so that Joseph’s body could be recovered.
Mikhail Rodrigues, who yesterday identified himself as the Public Relations Consultant of Tepui Group Inc, told reporters that company was contracted to construct a shore base facility at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara. Joseph, who was a contracted crane operator, was in the process of planting piles on the construction site when the crane allegedly tilted causing the operator to jump out.
It was unclear whether he sustained any injury when he did so, but the machine subsequently toppled, falling on him and crushing him to death. Joseph was pinned under the machine for quite some time.
The Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Labour, and relatives, were contacted and investigators visited the site. Rodrigues stated that he was on site at the time and witnessed the accident. He assured that the workers were properly equipped for work at the construction site, “We have been in par with all the safety requirements and regulations.”
He said that the company has skilled engineers with over 20 years of experience. The crane operator was described as one of the best in country.
The Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health Department has launched an investigation into the fatal accident. It is being led by Darwin Bourne, an Occupational Safety and Health Officer, whose task is to examine the circumstances that led to this fatality and to make recommendations for the prevention of similar accidents.
Minster of Labour Joseph Hamilton, meanwhile, expressed concern about workers being injured on the job and noted that when a worker leaves home to go to work there is an expectation by the family that he or she will return home safely after work and it therefore has to be traumatic for the family when a situation like this occurs.
Hamilton extended condolences to the grieving relatives, colleagues, and friends of the deceased.
