Fort McMurray company charged in death of welder
Jamie Lee Paris was like a lot of east coasters who come west looking for steady work.
Once he arrived in Fort McMurray from Moncton, N.B., Paris accepted a job as a boilermaker for Horton CBI Ltd., a multinational oilfield service company.
Paris, 29, died March 21, 2016, when he fell 20 metres from a scaffold while welding a storage tank.
Paris’ brother, Scott, had been working in Alberta as a boilermaker for years and urged Jamie to join him.
“He took a job with Horton because it was a full-time, steady job, rather than working three months on a shutdown without knowing where you’re going,” said his sisterin-law, Carol.
Two years later, Alberta Occupational Health and Safety has laid 10 charges against Horton CBI Ltd., including failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker. Paris’ death rocked his family. “I think for a long time there was anger — it was trying to understand how something like this could happen,” his sister-in-law said.
“You wonder to yourself whose fault it is. You want to place blame. It’s one of those things you have to accept that there might have been factors he couldn’t control.
“These (companies) are making millions and millions of dollars every day off this oilfield industry. It’s not too much to ask to make sure every son, every daughter, comes home every single day.”
She said Paris had a huge effect on everyone he came across.
“He was such a nice human being. Everybody that knew him just adored this guy.”
In a statement, Horton CBI Ltd. spokesman Gentry Brann called it a tragic event.
“The health and safety of our employees is the most important thing to CBI, and we have a robust safety program in place to protect our employees and the communities where we work,” said Brann.
Horton CBI Ltd. is to appear in Fort McMurray court May 9.