Construction worker rises from the rubble to find a new role the industry

Turning trauma into a positive impact CTV London's Bryan Bickell spoke to Jacob Hurl about his new construction business after he survived a near-death experience on the job.

A London area construction worker has risen from the rubble, literally, to carve out a new niche in project management – one that includes an emphasis on worker safety.

“It was a lot of pure will as well, and just wanting to get back to where I was and just being kind of in control of my own life and being able to do what I want to do,” explained Jacob Hurl.

Now 25 years old, Hurl nearly lost his life while working at a construction site on Teeple Terrace in London in December of 2020. A building under construction partially collapsed, leaving him under a pile of rubble and concrete. After years in recovery, Hurl has started his own consulting firm, Blue Collar Hollar Inc.

“Estimating, project planning, cost control, kind of all that stuff. Workplace safety as well. Make sure people are safe and going home every day,” said Hurl.

Part of Hurl’s return to working life included getting over the trauma and survivor’s guilt from the accident, knowing that two of his co-workers were killed in the tragic event.

Licensed psychotherapist Dr. Jennifer Laffier is an assistant professor and the director of mental health in the Digital Age Lab at Ontario Tech University, researching and practicing in the field of trauma. She said trauma recovery is often accompanied by personal growth.

“And that might include a new appreciation for life, seeing new possibilities, and finding personal strength. For example, a person might take on a new job, or new roles or tasks. They might advocate for change or social justice. And this is very good for them because it’s a sense of empowerment,” said Dr. Laffier.

The Teeple Terrace tragedy sent a ripple through the local construction community. Long-time contractor Richard Zygora told CTV News personal safety is up to each individual.

“You really have to be careful for yourself, actually. A lot of the health and safety policies nowadays, these are kind of meant to protect the business, right? And as much as they are meant to protect the workers as well, you have to be the one that looks out for yourself at the end of the day. So, if you want to go home, you can go home, but you have to be very mindful because it is a dangerous industry,” he said.

As for Hurl, the incident may be in the past, but he says it’s something he’ll carry with him the rest of his life.

“Being put in that position, as close to death as possible, I want to make sure that no one has to go through that ever again. Obviously, I can’t control everything in the world, but I can do at least my small part,” he said.