A Montreal airport baggage handler was killed in a workplace accident after falling while trying to dislodge a suitcase stuck in equipment.
“It is with great sadness that ADM Aéroports de Montréal has learned the death of an airport community employee working for Equans. ADM wishes to convey its sincere condolences to the employee’s family, loved ones and coworkers,” said the airport authority in the release.
“The entire YUL airport community is in mourning today, and we offer our sincere condolences to his family, loved ones and colleagues,” said Philippe Rainville, CEO of ADM.
The employee worked for Equans, a company subcontracted to offer technical services to airports including for baggage handling systems and electrical networks.
According to a spokesperson for Quebec’s workplace health and safety board, Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST), the worker was involved in baggage handling.
Antoine Leclerc-Loiselle said the worker fell early in the afternoon on July 8 while trying to dislodge a suitcase from a piece of equipment suspected to be a conveyor belt.
The safety board indicated two inspectors had been to the airport to interview witnesses and gather information on the circumstances surrounding the accident.
As the incident occurred at an airport, it is not known if provincial or federal officials will ultimately lead the investigation into the worker’s death. A federal investigation is generally managed by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
ADM said it “would like to assure the YUL airport community of its full support following this tragic event.”
“As soon as it was notified, ADM collaborated with the relevant authorities to ensure that the investigation proceeded smoothly.”
The airport authority said that due to the investigation, “and out of respect for the victim and his family,” it would be reserving further comment.
There have been deaths of other baggage handlers in recent years. In 2022, a contract baggage handler unloading an inbound flight at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in the United States was killed after her hair got caught in the belt loader. The 26-year-old woman was seriously hurt and died from her injuries.
More recently, on Dec. 31, 2022, also in the United States, another baggage handler died after being sucked into the jet engine of an airplane at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama as he loaded luggage into the baggage hold.
On April 22, 2016, a baggage handler in Canada was killed while working at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Ian Henrey Pervez was driving a baggage-handling tractor that flipped over, throwing him onto the tarmac. After that fatality, federal officials demanded safety changes including the installation of seat belts on tractors, belt loaders, and other motorized baggage-handling equipment.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
