Dangerous practices to blame for trapped worker’s death: CNESST

A truck is seen outside Comptoir Supérieur Inc. in Quebec. (CNESST)

Dangerous work practices are to blame for the death of a worker trapped under a stack of quartz slabs that toppled over as they were being unloaded from a container, according to the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST).

The CNESST’s report states that on July 1, the man was unloading heavy quartz slabs from a container for the company Comptoir Supérieur in Farnham in Quebec’s Estrie region.

The CNESST notes that the worker was positioned in a hazardous area inside the container during the unloading process.

When the slabs were released from their straps, they tipped over, trapping the man against the container wall.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

CNESST inspectors also point out that the slabs were improperly loaded into the container, causing the floor to deform and a support to break, compromising their stability.

The total weight of the 72 slabs in the container was 24,768 kilograms.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 12, 2026.