A Leamington family is hoping a coroner’s inquest into their son’s death will help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Don and Marlene Affleck conducted an exclusive interview with CTV Windsor at the Leamington gravesite of their son Wayne Affleck on Friday, a gravesite they visit each week.
Wayne Affleck was 27-years-old when he was electrocuted and died at a solar farm near Whitby while working for Enerquest in 2013.
Last year, the company was fined $110,000 for not keeping workers safe from electrical shock and burn.
Don Affleck admits the three day inquest in Oshawa was a difficult experience.
“You sort of thought you were ready for it after three years, but you're not,” admits Affleck.
The Affleck’s heard their son backed into a transformer and had 27,000 volts rush through his body.
“We found out he didn't feel anything and that means everything to me,” says Marlene Affleck.
The coroner’s jury issued five recommendations to prevent similar deaths.
1. To the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeships: that electrical apprentices (persons who do not hold a certificate of qualification issued by the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009) shall not be allowed to work on a construction site without the supervision of a journeyman or qualified electrician where the work being done is electrical in nature, being a new electrical construction or a modification of an existing electrical construction.
2. To the Canadian Standards Association and to the Electrical Safety Authority: that all E-Houses be grounded by the manufacturer when shipped to on-site locations for commissioning.
3. To the Canadian Standards Association: that electrical circuit breaker interlocks be permanently fixed to their electrical circuit breakers.
4. To the Canadian Standards Association: that electrical circuit breaker interlocks be made accessible only by removing a protective panel, which panel would have affixed to it a hazard warning label.
5. To the Canadian Standards Association: that an electrical receptacle, suitable for equipment charging and tool use, be tied-in to the emergency lighting electrical circuit breaker of E-Houses.
While in Oshawa for the inquest, Don and Marlene went to the job site where wayne died for the very first time.
They erected a small plaque with Wayne's date of birth and date of death.
“It was the hardest part of the entire week, more than hearing about Wayne’s death,” admits Marlene Affleck.
Wayne’s parents say they will follow the jury’s recommendations to ensure they are followed and practiced in the future.
