A coroner's jury in New Brunswick has issued a series of safety recommendations following a fatal 2024 workplace accident that claimed the life of a Saskatchewan truck driver. The recommendations focus on equipment use, operator training, and on-site supervision.
The Fatal Incident at the Wind Farm
The inquest, convened by regional coroner Danny Mallet, examined the death of Matthew Brawn, 46, of Regina. The accident occurred on July 18, 2024, at the Neweg Energy Project wind farm construction site near Springdale, east of Sussex, New Brunswick.
Brawn was employed by Richards Transport, a subcontractor hired to deliver components for wind turbines. Michel Cyr, investigations manager for WorkSafeNB, testified that Brawn was pulled underneath a runaway trailer. The trailer, weighing 27,000 kilograms, had slipped off the front of a telehandler—an off-road forklift with a towing capacity of just 1,000 kilograms.
Improper Use of Equipment
The jury heard critical details about how the equipment was misused. Instead of using the truck's proper attachment, workers used the forklift attachment on the telehandler to lift the trailer's A-frame and pull it backwards up a hill. Cyr stated the equipment's manual specifies it should face forward when moving uphill.
"It was being operated in a way it should not have been operated, pulling something that was many times above its capacity," Cyr told the jury. The telehandler was rated to lift 4,000 kg, far less than the trailer's massive weight.
Jury's Verdict and Recommendations
After deliberating for over an hour, the five-person jury ruled Brawn's death an accident. They delivered several key recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies:
- Enhanced training for all equipment operators.
- The establishment of an active, on-site supervisor to oversee work.
- Ensuring employees are appropriately informed about the scope of work during daily morning meetings.
- A overarching recommendation that equipment must be used only as intended by the manufacturer.
The general contractor for the site was Halifax-based Windturbine Construction Team (WCT), working for energy utility Natural Forces. In January 2025, WCT was fined $25,000 plus a $5,000 victim fine surcharge after pleading guilty to an Occupational Health and Safety Act charge of failing to ensure an industrial lift truck was not loaded past its capacity. An initial RCMP investigation found no criminality involved.
The jury's findings underscore a critical failure in adhering to basic equipment safety protocols, leading to a call for stricter oversight and communication on construction sites across Canada.
