A 52-year-old male worker was killed at an Rocky-area oil lease site after being crushed under the counterweights of a pump jack unit.
Alberta Occupational Health and Safety is investigating the deadly workplace incident that occurred Friday at about 3 p.m. at an oil lease site about 30 km north of Hwy 11 on Secondary Hwy 756.
The male worker employed by Caroline-based Paradis Pump Jack Maintenance Ltd, was doing some maintenance work within the pump jack unit when he was caught beneath the counterweight, said Occupational Health and Safety spokesperson Sorcha Thomas. The unit was not working at the time.
He died at the scene. His name and place of residence has not been released.
Investigators have issued a stop-use order for the pump jack, as well as a boom truck used to free the man from the machinery. Thomas said the truck must first be checked to ensure it’s in good working order before it’s used again.
A stop-work order has not been issued for the site. Thomas said the investigation will determine whether anyone saw what happened before the man was crushed by the counterweight.
Occupational Health and Safety has two years to lay charges, if warranted. “The investigation will take as long as necessary to prevent something like this from happening again,” said Thomas.
— copyright Red Deer Advocate