Unfortunately a 25 yr old painter lost his life
last year when a company rep told him it would
be a good idea to lift 5 gallon paint buckets on top
of a skid along with him in an aerial lift
platform. The man fell 5 stories to his death
and was covered in broken paint buckets and
paint, what a disgrace.
This is why you need heights training, this
should never have happened, and it reminds
me of the type of company that rushes to get
things done and cuts corners.
As a worker or employee you have the right
to refuse an unsafe work assignment if you
believe that it could endanger your life.
In high school I once worked for an
"brilliant engineer" at Dufferin
Aggregates who asked me to drive a landscaping
tractor at a 55 degree angle at Milton Quarry.
We are talking the kind of angle that could easily
roll a Deere tractor with a 96" swath cutter behind it
on top of you resulting in instant death.
Guess what I told him ? I'm still here today buddy.
Him ? He was fired for stealing a pickup truck full
of screenings shortly thereafter.
Just because you report to a position in authority
that does not mean they know what they are doing
or asking you to do !
