John Myers Jr., Staff Reporter
THE MINISTRY of Labour has launched an investigation into the circumstances that caused the accidental death of three workers at the Jamaica Public Service Company's (JPS) Old Harbour power plant in St. Catherine on Saturday.
Neville Moodie, director of occupational safety and health in the Labour Ministry, is heading the team, which began their investigation yesterday. "As soon as the investigations are complete, we will communicate the findings to the relevant parties, and proceed to taking appropriate action as the outcome demands," a news release from the Ministry of Labour reported him as saying.
Horace Dalley, Minister of Labour expressed regret at the incident, noting that "this incident reinforces the need for all companies to adhere to the highest standards of decent work, consistent with the conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) governing occupational safety and health."
TOXIC FUMES
The small coastal village of Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine was plunged into mourning as a result of the death of three of their neighbours: Arthur Williams, Woodford Brown and Owen Townsend. The light and power company said the men were assigned to carryout duties on an area of the power plant that pulls water from the sea for cooling generating units when they were killed. The company said the generating unit where the incident occurred was out of service.
Colleagues of the workmen allege they were knocked unconscious and killed by toxic fumes.
According to Glenford Campbell, one of the workmen who found his dead colleagues, "when me and my second went to assist the men who died, I saw my second drop. When I reached down into the hole, I began experiencing short(ness) of breath and my tongue getting heavy. I had to come out back."
In the meantime, Mirant's vice-president of operations, Jim Garlick, is heading the special team of investigators who arrived in the island yesterday to probe the tragic circumstances that led to the death of three workers and the injuring of two others on behalf of the company.
Winsome Callum, corporate communications manager at the JPS confirmed the arrival of the team of investigators yesterday. She said the team comprised managers from key divisions such as health and safety, environment and generation services at Mirant.
