The president of American Iron and Metal (AIM) is defending his company’s safety record after two workplace deaths in Saint John.
Darrell Richards, 60, died in the hospital after being injured at the company’s west side scrap metal recycling facility on June 30.
A separate workplace incident at AIM Recycling in late November claimed the life of a second man, who has never been identified.
During an interview on Tuesday, Herb Black described the two workplace fatalities as “terrible misfortunes.”
Black told our newsroom that “to his knowledge” nothing could have been done to prevent either death, adding his operations are “extremely safe.”
“We’ve operated since 2008 [in Saint John], 15 years. Up until seven months ago, there’s been none [workplace deaths],” said Black. “It’s just coincidence or an act of God that things happen.”
Details about workplace fatalities
According to Black, the November workplace fatality occurred when a crane operator was sweeping out a truck trailer with a broom attachment.
Black said the door on the driver’s side of the truck did not open, so the driver had to exit through the passenger door where “the crane operator couldn’t see him.”
“Instead of coming out the door where the crane is, he went out the opposite door, went in between the truck and the trailer, climbed through a little door, and went into the [trailer] and nobody could see him.”
As for the most recent death, Black said he “doesn’t really understand what happened.”
WorkSafeNB still investigating
WorkSafeNB is looking into both deaths and has said it could take more than a year to finish their investigations.
Black said the investigations are “no big deal” and he is open to any recommendations that come from them.
AIM was founded in 1936 and, according to Black, has 100 operations around the world, mainly in North America.
The 78-year-old said there have only been three workplace deaths across all of AIM’s operations in the 62 years he has worked there.
Our newsroom asked Black why Saint John is unique in that two of those fatalities happened in the Port City.
“Fate,” Black replied. “I don’t think it has to do with Saint John or anything. You never know in life when you wake up in the morning if you’re going to make it home at night.”
Calls to revoke operating licence
The deaths, combined with explosions and other issues at the facility over the years, have prompted calls for the province to revoke AIM’s operating licence.
Last week, Saint John council wrote a letter to the premier and other provincial officials “calling on their action specific to AIM’s operations in order to protect workers and our community.”
Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long has also been vocal in his call to have the facility’s licence repealed.
However, the Department of Labour has said the company’s approval to operate is related solely to environmental requirements and would not factor into workplace incidents of this nature.
Black said he does not think the negativity surrounding the facility is as strong as people imagine.
“He who screams the loudest is heard. There might be a lot of people cheering for us at the same time,” he said.
Black said workers at the facility know they are safe and that these deaths were accidental.
“You could have an accident coming to work. You could get hit by a bus.”
