A 26-year-old London man killed when the snowplow he was operating was hit by a freight train last year was not properly trained by his employer, according to a new report by the Transportation Safety Board (TSB).
Malcom Trudell was clearing snow-covered sidewalks at the rail crossing at Colborne Street and York Street around 9:40 a.m. on January 9, 2018 when his plow was struck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The TSB released its final report into the collision on Wednesday.
Investigators determined Trudell worked for a company that had been contracted by the City of London to clear sidewalks. He had been up for nearly 24 hours and was in his 12th straight hour of clearing snow when the crash occurred.
"A lack of experience with railway crossings, a lack of training on safe working practices when clearing snow at railway crossings, and tunnel vision exacerbated by fatigue inhibited the effectiveness of the snowplow operator’s visual scanning," the national transportation agency said. "As such, the operator did not detect the oncoming train."
The report also noted that although the rail crossing's warning devices, including the flashing lights, bell and gates, were working at the time of the crash, the combination of the plow’s position, the cab's restricted visibility, and background noise it was difficult to see warnings or hear the train's horn.
Following Trudell's death, London began requiring snowplow operators employed by its snow-clearing contractors to participate in a city-led review of safe operating practices at railway crossings.
The full TSB report can be found by clicking here.
