British Columbia

Worker killed at Fraser Surrey Docks

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 502 says a mechanic, who is described as a man in his 40s, was crushed Saturday by a piece of equipment he was working on.

Union says man in his 40s was crushed by a piece of equipment on Saturday

'This is a very sad day — a worker went to his job this morning and didn’t go home to his family,' said ILWU Canada President Rob Ashton in a release about the death. (Google Maps)

A man working at Fraser Surrey Docks was killed Saturday after a piece of equipment he was working on crushed him, according to the worker's union.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada [ILWU] Local 502 issued a news release about the death at the docks, which is a marine terminal on the Fraser River in Surrey, B.C., It has been in operation since 1962.

The union says the worker, who is in his 40s, was a mechanic, but also a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 115.

The victim has not been identified.

'We must do more'

Rob Ashton, the president of the ILWU Canada, says the death is being investigated by Employment and Social Development Canada, which regulates the docks. 

"We can and we must do more to protect all workers from deaths and injuries due to workplace accidents," Ashton said in a release.

The federal agency has not yet responded to inquires about the death.

Safety record

In May 2017, the docks said in a tweet it had gone 200 days without a significant injury.

"Thankful for the commitment and hard work involved in creating a safety culture," it read.