New fatal work accident on a Grand Paris express site, the SGP reacts
This is the fifth fatal work accident on the construction site of the Grand Paris express. This Thursday, April 6, 2023, we learn from Agence France presse (AFP), a 22-year-old worker lost his life in Gonesse (Val-d’Oise), “victim of falling concrete block”. “He was freed by a crane, present on the site, but, despite all the care that was given to him, he died on the spot”, said the firefighters, who intervened jointly with the Smur (mobile emergency and resuscitation structure) of the department. A medico-psychological cell was set up by the Samu for the members of the personnel present on the spot at the time of the accident, according to the firefighters.
Security “is not sufficiently integrated”
The companion worked for the “Avenir” group of companies led by Demathieu Bard construction, specifies the Société du Grand Paris (SGP), contacted by Batiactu. “During an earthmoving operation, the companion was fatally injured by the fall of a concrete slab.” The SGP “deplores” this new accident and sends its condolences “to the family, loved ones and colleagues of the deceased companion”. The chairman of the management board of the SGP, Jean-François Monteils, sees in this accident the proof that the priority given to safety “is not sufficiently integrated by all the stakeholders on our worksites”. “We must change the safety culture there without delay. With all of our partners, we are going to take action to achieve this.”
In March 2020, the first worker died in Villejuif (Val-de-Marne) following an accident on the extension of metro line 14 Parisian – the trial involving a subsidiary of Vinci just stood. Three other deaths had occurred in December 2020, in January 2022 And in March 2023.
Devices put in place
In our columns, Bernard Cathelain, member of the management board of the SGP, had recently mentioned some of the systems put in place in the field to reduce the risk of accidents at work. “We monitor, for example, the frequency rates of accidents at work, and carry out audits on all of our sites. Each one is seen at least once by external specialists who come to study the way things are conducted. A score is then given to each site inspected.” Procedures which obviously did not prevent a new tragedy on April 6, 2023.
