Frederic Serre
The Advocate
The manufacturer of a rock-picking machine is being blamed for the tragic death of a 21-year-old farm worker in the Lanaudière community of St. Jacques last year, and the provincial commission examining the accident at the Ferme Sébastien Lépine is urging better training by the manufacturer as part of its 25-page report released April 18.
Jacob Tousignant was killed May 22, 2023, while using an ELHO destoner attached to a tractor to remove rocks and other debris from a field at the farm, located about 90 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
The Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) spent 11 months studying the fatality. The accident happened when Tousignant was working alone, using a stone picker, when the machine jammed, prompting the young worker to step off the tractor to manually unblock the stone picker. In doing so, Tousignant restarted the machine, which struck the victim. Tousignant was declared dead at the scene.
In its report, the CNESST points the finger at the machine’s manufacturer, saying the stop function on the machine’s control panel did not control its power source. Stopping the machine interrupted its movements, but did not stop it being powered up, thus exposing Tousignant to great danger, especially since the machine did not have a lock or hydraulic stop switch.
The CNESST will present the results of its investigation to the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) and to various associations. The report will also be distributed to all agricultural trade training establishments in the province.
Adding to the tragedy is that Tousignant had undergone a life-saving heart operation back in 2016, after being diagnosed with a serious cardiac illness as a child. He was set to celebrate his 22nd birthday less than a week after the accident.