The
LifeQuilt Centre Focal Image Honours Seriously Injured Young Workers
 The
LifeQuilt is a lasting memorial to young workers who died or were injured at work. At the same time, it spreads a powerful message about the importance of prevention. The centerpiece of the quilt is the image of a young person, overlaid with organza ribbons, bearing the names of young injured workers.
The injured worker’s name, age, type of injury, and city/town
where the injury occurred is imprinted on a piece of organza ribbon that
is woven into the main focal image
on the centre panel of this unique
memorial.
Injured Young Workers
Daniele Anderson, 21, hip injury, Waterloo, Ontario
I fell on a slippery wet floor, by the sink at the fast food restaurant. I am currently the mother of a 1 year old, whom I can’t push in a stroller because I suffer from pain and immobility of my right hip. I am still battling the WSIB.
Serena Attfield, 21, back injury, Mississauga, Ontario
My job involved a lot of driving because I fixed bank machines all over the GTA. Being on the road a lot, getting rear-ended by a truck was not a huge surprise. But being unable to work indefinitely because of my back injury caused by the accident, was. All I can say about the whole thing is that I was luckier than most other young adults injured on the job, because I know some have even lost their lives.
Suzanne Berube, 17, Mont-Joli, Quebec
“En éboutant des planches avec une scie ronde de plus de 24”, mon bras gauche a été sectionné au complet. Une opération de 17 heures à Montréal a permis de le replacer.
Lisa Boone, 19, arm injury, Oakville, Ontario
Slipped on water coated floor in restaurant kitchen with coffee pot in hand. The servers had to walk by the dishwasher and the floor area would get wet. Although appropriate shoes were worn and caution taken, the hazard would be present on most occasions. I fell down and cradled the coffee pot between my forearm, wrist area
and chest, when I contacted the floor. It could have been much, much worse, but I did get a large gash very close to my wrist veins. It had to be resewn after the initial healing period because it was not mending, due to the shape and size. I will require plastic work at some time in the future. The employer reported it, worked with the WSIB to ensure the right pay while off and no problems. The employer also brought in a flooring company at my Dad’s suggestion and applied an anti-slip coating to the floor and increased the floor mopping (drying) schedule. The employer also used the scenario to ensure all the workers knew about it, what had happened and the corrective measures and their part in them. I have been so much more fortunate than most other injured workers. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of increasing health and safety awareness … it means a lot to me!
Serge A. Bouchard, 20, lost finger, Dorion, Ontario
I was working as a diamond drill helper, when my finger got stuck between the pump shack and the slup of rods by the bulldozer pushing on the pump shack. I lost my right index finger to amputation as a result of the accident.
William Bowman, 20, lost arm, Hamilton, Ontario
I was setting up a press machine to bend pieces of metal. While adjusting the gauges at the back of the press, I stepped on the uncovered foot pedal and activated the press. My left forearm was crushed and after a replantation attempt, it was amputated 6 weeks later. I had no training regarding operating or lockout etc., prior to being assigned to the machine. The MOL investigated and wrote orders to equip all of the presses in the department with dual hand controls.
Lisa Broadhorst, 22, foot injury, stillborn daughter, Toronto, Ontario
Partial tear of Achilles tendon. My daughter Chelsea was stillborn on January 9, 2002, due to toxemia which was related to the chemicals I was exposed to on the work site.
Tamara Brown, 21, tendonitis, Welland, Ontario
I was doing a lot of cashier work and I ended up getting tendonitis in my left wrist. I was off and on work until August when I ended up with tendonitis in my right wrist and was pulled out of work completely.
Ted Budgell Jr., 16, lost leg; multiple injuries, Concord, Ontario
I was driving a delivery truck for an auto parts company. I was on my way back to the office when I was sideswiped by a dump truck. I had several injuries. I lost a leg at the hip, had a stroke and lost my spleen and had several other injuries. I am recovered as far as I ever will be at this time. I suffer from
aphasia, hardly any use of my right hand and arm. I sometimes have trouble remembering things.
Candace Carnahan, 21, lost leg below knee, Miramichi, New Brunswick
My left foot was caught in a moving conveyor belt that was on the floor and resulted in the amputation of my left leg below the knee.
Jamie Chamberlain, 24, spinal cord injury, Venasta, Quebec
Logger’s accident. Tree fell causing spinal cord injury at the level C4-C5.
Brandon Choscinski, 15, foot injury, St. Catharines, Ontario
Foot injury caused by heavy cart being rammed into foot.
Andrew DeCristoforo, 16, arm injury, Manotick, Ontario
My arm was caught in a pasta maker, in the deli where I worked. I was alone at the time and I had to wait for a customer to come in before I got any help.
Desmond Francis Desouza, 20, injury to mouth, Toronto, Ontario
I was working at a restaurant in Yorkville as a steward. While I was carrying some dirty trays from the sink to the dishwasher, I slipped and fell due to the slippery condition of the floor and the narrowness of the passageway, thus losing my front tooth.
Steve Dion, 19, St-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec
J’étais éboueur; j’ai été écrasé sous les roues du camion. Mon poumon a été perforé et mon fémur fracture.
Mohamed (Mike) Fahmy, 20, finger injury, Scarborough, Ontario
I was working in the back of a sheet metal shop, operating a machine that bends and cuts metal at the same time; I slide a peace of sheet metal into the machine and my foot pressed the pedal that operates the machine by accident. I cut the first joint of my left index finger off.
Christopher Andrew Larue Fowler, 18, crushed hand, arm injury, Pontypool, Ontario
Incomplete amputation of right (dominant) hand, crushed in 20 ton press; not functional at all – whole right arm is useless. WSIB will not help me either.
Dan Kramp, 15, arm injury, Guelph, Ontario
Left arm was pulled into a meat auger that had no safety or guards on it. Severed all nerves, tendons and arteries.
Jeffery Hugh MacCrostie, 19, crushed fingers, Windsor, Ontario
Two fingers crushed in a 400 ton press.
Karen McKenna, 23, back injury, Markham, Ontario
I worked at a home for adults with multiple disabilities. A man I supported was falling with his wheelchair. In preventing his injury, I hurt my back severely and permanently.
Richard Molloy, 20, knee, ankle, foot injuries, Marathon, Ontario
I was working in the hold of a ship unloading bales of pulp from wooden pallets lowered in by cranes. I had to release the cables from the pallets so the fork truck could lift the bales off the pallet. The bales of pulp were stacked 6 high in two rows of two and weighted approximately 500 lbs. each. At the time of my accident, I was on one side of the pallet removing the cable when a fork truck started to remove the bales from the other side of the pallet. As the bales were removed, they bumped the second row where I was and the bales fell. I was moving back as they fell and I tripped over an empty pallet lying on the floor of the hold. The top bale landed on my left foot as I was falling. The rest of the crew came and removed the bale from my leg. They put me on a pallet and was lifted from the ship’s hold by crane. The resulting injuries I sustained included a crushed foot, broken ankle, and dislocated knee as well as pulled the tendons and ligiments in the knee. I spent 3 weeks in the Marathon Hospital and then transferred to a hospital in Thunder Bay for another 3 weeks. I was off work for 13 months and had to undergo knee surgery to remove the cartilage. During this time off, I did attend college and obtained by stationary engineers ticket, so not all was lost. Over the years since the accident, I have had further surgery on my knee to remove bone fragments. I need to wear special insoles in my shoes to cushion my deformed foot, which needs to be reassessed every 2 years. I am reminded of that day in May every time I get up from bed or out of a chair. My knee is shot as the doctor put it at my last visit and will need a total knee replacement. The doctor wants to wait as I am still too young for this operation. That day has changed my life forever, just because we were rushing to see who could unload the bales the fastest.
Stephen Nicholson, 19, 3rd degree burns, Winnipeg, Manitoba
I received 3rd degree burns to 85% of my body as a result of an explosion inside an exhaust vent for a paint booth. My employer was deemed negligent and was later prosecuted under the WS & H Act.
Michael Polyzotis, 22, ankle injury, Woodbridge, Ontario
I was crushed in between 2 cars. I work for a car dealership. My ankle was crushed and has not been properly fixed yet. I had surgery in September.
Paul Ramsay, 19, head and eye injury, Sarnia, Ontario
Heady injury. I was tightening a winch, which came back and struck head. Cracked skull from left eye to the top of forehead. Lost my vision in my left eye. I still get dizzy – walking, sitting and standing up.
Christopher Anthony Rapattoni, 19, ear drum injury, Welland, Ontario
I was working on changing a transport truck tire when it exploded, knocking me back and unconscious for several minutes. I was told it happens, it’s part of the job. I took a short rest and continued to work. Within days I was told I had lost hearing in my right ear. It will never return, only deteriorate. I was off work for several months trying to deal with my imbalance, due to the blast penetrating past the ear drum. I have been told I am lucky to be alive.
Matt Sagan, 15, broken neck, Hamilton, Ontario
Broke my neck while running into water during my training to become a camp counselor.
Matt Sandell, 23, severed thumb, Collingwood, Ontario
Had left thumb crushed and severed by a packer. Between the machine and the tree. Have now had toe transfer.
Shannon Saretsky, 24, lost fingers, Edmonton, Alberta
My accident that happened on January 17, 2000, has been a life changing experience. I can truly say I was a different person before my accident. I went to work with a smile on my face, happy to greet everyone, knowing I would get a smile in return. I haven’t been able to get the same feeling of energy since. Some days it’s hard to smile and let everybody think I’m alright, when what I’m really feeling is anguish and uncertainty for what the day has in store for me. Before the accident, I thought I could do anything if I set my mind to it. Now, knowing of my restriction, I constantly doubt my capabilities. I have to plan my day, making things easier by trying to predict how long tasks will take me, knowing they won’t be as easy as they were before. I’m left with the feeling of frustration, feeling sorry for myself and wishing this hadn’t happened at all. I then think of the things that I AM able to do and realize things could be a lot worse. This accident has affected me mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. I also think my
future will be affected by the restrictions this accident has put on me…
Marc Bradley Shaw, 24, lost leg, Fort St. John, British Columbia
Working doing Helicopter Seismic in the Rocky Mountains on the British Columbia side of the mountain. We were rushing to complete a contract by the end of the day that combined with bad weather and “floating Shot” made for a very dangerous situation. The Dynamite ignited and I was caught in the explosion. I was too close and the shot had floated to the surface! I ended up with many operations and eventually had my right leg amputated. My life and those of my family and friends was changed that day.
Shonna Smith, 22, hand injury, St. Catharines, Ontario
I was working with a stamping machine and my hand hit the teeth of it, my right hand was cut open and I received about 50 stitches, three fractures and the top and side of my index finger knuckle were cut off.
Robert A.J. Tilling, 15, 3rd degree burns, Toronto, Ontario
I was there shoveling garbage from the garbage room to the incinerator. When the gas pipe fell apart leaking natural gas into the room until gas filled the room. At this time, the gas was ignited by the burning garbage. I was told later at the hospital that the gas company had tested the pipe fittings, only to find no wrench marks on any of the fittings. That means the pipes were put together by hand only.
Roger Trottier, 23, back injury, Nakina, Ontario
Pulling on a wrench to remove a blot off a pulp truck – hurt back.
Stephen Victor, 21, arm injury, Dryden, Ontario
Left arm – severed radial nerve in upper arm. |
