Ministry of Labour investigates after man dies in collapsed trench

The Ministry of Labour is now investigating after a contractor died while digging a trench at a home in Glanbrook.

Hugh Uel Monteith owns the home the contractor was working on.

He later found out that Jimmy was digging the trench, when the walls of the hole gave way and buried him, he suffocated to death. Police say he was in his 40’s. Uel Monteith was at work when it happened just before 6 Friday night.

Today, a worker from “Remove & Restore inc” stopped by the home to assess the situation. A company representative says normally when digging a trench there are barriers put up to protect the worker. The Occupational Health and Safety Act also dictates that workers must be protected against trench or excavation cave-ins.

In Ontario, deaths that occur on the job at construction sites, mines, pits or quarries are subject to mandatory inquests, and because the backyard in this case is deemed a construction site, an inquest will be held.