Coroner says National Steel Car death was ‘workplace fatality’
The provincial Ministry of Labour says it has issued an order to National Steel Car as part of its probe of an employee death that the provincial coroner has now confirmed as a workplace fatality."
Collin Grayley, a 35-year-old painter, died April 23 after co-workers found him slumped over near a scissor lift and a train car he was working on at the east-end manufacturing plant.
The death occurred the same day National Steel Car voluntarily shut down the plant for two weeks because of a COVID outbreak.
The ministry is still investigating the death, but told The Spectator the provincial coroner has confirmed it was a workplace fatality," rather than a death by natural causes like a heart attack, for example.
It would not reveal the nature of the order issued to the rail car company or any other details about how the death occurred, citing the ongoing probe.
But mother Lynn Grayley said this week the coroner told her by phone her son appeared to suffer blunt force trauma to the body" and a crush injury."
The coroner's probe is not complete.
National Steel Car, through its lawyers, previously said there was no evidence Grayley had been crushed.
It also strongly denied any suggestion that the plant was an unsafe workplace or that working conditions led to Grayley's death.
Workers at the plant are represented by United Steel Workers Local 7135.
Lawrence Hay, a USW staff representative for the district, said a parallel union health and safety probe of the fatal incident is underway but he did not yet have any information to share.
Hamilton public health said 32 COVID cases are now linked to the National Steel Car outbreak.
The ministry is also still probing a September 2020 workplace fatality at National Steel Car involving a 51-year-old employee whom police say was struck by a large metal item he was working on.
The company, through its lawyers, said the tragic death was not the result of any failure by National Steel Car to provide a safe workplace.
Matthew Van Dongen is a Hamilton-based reporter covering transportation for The Spectator. Reach him via email: mvandongen@thespec.com