Mount Royal tunnel: lots of corners cut
A hair-raising list of narrow escapes and cut corners is in a report from the CNESST on safety practices in the Mount Royal tunnel being refit for the REM.
A Twitter reader suggests this article and video from the REM itself.
Robert H 12:48 on 2022-05-31 Permalink
…NouvLR se défendait en disant « appliquer les meilleures pratiques de l’industrie »
« Il est primordial pour notre organisation que les employés et entrepreneurs sur les chantiers du REM travaillent dans des conditions parfaitement sécuritaires »
Pardon my rudeness, but it really does seem appropriate from a worker’s standpoint to say that NouvLR is full of shit. The enterprise utterly underestimated the severity of the hazards involved in the Mont Royal tunnel renovation project. Then it displayed a blatant, repetitive lack of concern for the well-being of employees labouring in a cloud of carbon monoxide, toxic silica dust, and possibly live explosives ready to be set off by the next bulldozer, jackhammer, shovel or vibration. Thank goodness for the CNESST and good journalism since NouvLR doesn’t seem to give a damn. Nineteen violations! And they’ll only concede six! In a noisy, hazardous, dirty worksite, it’s hard enough to focus and calm your nerves just to get the job done without the additional suspicion that management doesn’t have your back; that the only thing standing between you and injury or death is keeping your wits about you and having confidence in your own judgement. I hope the people doing the sweating are very well paid, and if the safest procedures require additional time and money, fine. Go over budget and push it back another year. I hope to use the REM, but I dread headlines about a horrific accident the tunnel before or after opening.
JaneyB 08:34 on 2022-06-01 Permalink
Wow, that’s a damning account. Thank goodness indeed for the CNESST and also La Presse. In light of those dangers, this is one time it should be late and over budget.