Talisman Energy worker Anthony Manning died on the weekend after plummeting 120 feet off a petroleum exploration rig, and the impact of his death is fuelling the labour movement's battle to force Trinidad and Tobago government to implement the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA).
By Richard CharanManning, 51, of Silverton Street, New Village, Point Fortin, died on arrival at the Princes Town General Hospital.
He was a derrickman on a rig operated by Talisman Energy, a Canadian company with oil facilities at Union Village, Mayaro.
Manning fell while climbing down from the rig, at around 1.20 p.m. Saturday. It is unclear whether he was using his safety harness.
Last year 18 people died in worksite accidents.
Last Friday, a worker was seriously injured in an incident of the Plipdeco Port, Pt Lisas.
Manning's wife, Karen said she received a call from the company that her husband of 20 years was in an accident, but as she was preparing to leave, she was told he was dead.
She said: "I saw his body at the mortuary. He looked terrible. His face and head was swollen. He did not look like himself."
Karen said her husband "was very concerned about declining safety standards, generally. I want the company to handle the funeral".
The dead man was the father of five.
His death has angered First Vice President of the Oilfields Workers Trade Union (OWTU) Ancil Roget, who is also chairman of the OHSA implementation committee, formed to force Government to implement the act. The act was passed in Parliament in January 2004.
Last week, labour unions protested outside Whitehall and through the streets of Couva.
Roget said: "The entire labour movement and in particular the OWTU are incensed by the Minister of Labour and government's disregard for workers. By their refusal to implement OHSA, we continue to put lives at stake and fatal accidents like what occurred with comrade Manning will continue to happen".
Roget said: "It is workers in this country who generate the revenue for Government to spend. And if it is the Government is refusing to protect us at our various workplaces, we will take mass decisive action," he warned again of a pre-Carnival demonstration.
"If it means we have to remove all workers from workplaces we will do it. The labour union is uniting on this issue."
