An inquest has been called to examine the circumstances that led to two men falling to their deaths at Windsor construction projects in 2016.
Dr. Rick Mann, the regional supervising coroner for the West Region, announced on Friday that the inquest would be looking into the deaths of Brian Jeffery Izsak and Robert Morneau, who both died in hospital of injuries sustained while working at two different construction sites. An inquest is mandatory under the Coroners Act.
Izsak was performing flat roof repairs on the roof of a Goodlife Fitness in Windsor on July 15, 2016, when he fell through an opening in the roof to the floor below. He was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries on July 26, 2016. As a result, Rauth Roofing Limited was fined $100,000 by the Ontario Ministry of Labour.
Morneau, an electrician, fell through a skylight at Ventra Plastics in Windsor on November 3, 2016. He was rushed to hospital with severe trauma but died from his injuries. Vollmer Inc. was fined $150,000 two years later.
The five-day inquest will begin on October 7, 2019 and will hear from around 12 witnesses. The jury may make recommendations that are aimed at preventing future deaths.
Dr. David Eden will preside as inquest coroner and Elizabeth Brown will be counsel to the coroner.