Brian Woodman's wife and daughter, Terry and Cheryl, attended Friday's Day of Mourning event in Penticton. Brian was killed on the job three years ago.
(SHANNON QUESNEL / iNFOnews.ca)
April 26, 2013 - 1:22 PM
After electrician Brian Woodman of Penticton was killed at a Kelowna auto repair shop steps were taken to prevent others from sharing his fate.
Brian's family attended a Day of Mourning event on Friday at Penticton's McLaren Arena. With them were several other families, Penticton firefighters, city staff members and elected officials.
Everyone stood near the memorial tree which has a plaque embedded in white stone at its base. A moment of silence was held to honour the memories of the 149 B.C. workers who died last year as a result of workplace injuries and illnesses. Brian died on July 16 in 2009.
Brian's wife Terry said her husband had been an electrician for 45 years. The day he was killed was his first day at that job site. There was a piece of plywood covering up the garage pit. People had been walking across it all day.
Terry says there were no barricades or other safety measures. Just some plywood.
"Brian was the last person to walk on it," Terry said. He had fallen through the flimsy material and was killed from the fall.
"They had to have a better thing than a piece of plywood."
The company responsible for the accident was fined and open garage pits now have better safeguards.
"Everybody misses him very, very much," his wife said. Brian was 62 years old when he was killed and left behind Terry, two children and three grandchildren.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013