A deadly workplace accident at Barbados’ ReadyMix Lears quarry has left one worker dead and three others injured, prompting a formal joint investigation by national labour authorities and law enforcement that the Barbados Workers Union (BWU) is closely monitoring as it waits for official findings. The incident, which unfolded last week when a piece of heavy work equipment being set up by on-site employees suddenly collapsed, trapped four workers under the structure, killing one at the scene. Since the tragedy occurred, the BWU has moved quickly to engage with workers and company leadership to ensure affected employees receive the mental health and practical support they need.
During an occupational health and safety conference hosted by the BWU this Friday, senior industrial relations officer Janelle Farley shared a public update on the union’s response to the incident, speaking with local outlet Barbados TODAY to outline the sequence of actions taken over the past week. “Within hours of the incident being reported, our team traveled directly to the quarry site to speak with workers who were present, check on their immediate well-being, and gather first-hand accounts of what occurred,” Farley explained. “The following day, we returned to join a company-wide general meeting between management and staff, where leadership laid out their planned approach to addressing the tragedy and supporting affected teams.”
At present, full responsibility for the formal probe into the incident’s root causes rests with the Barbados Labour Department and national police force. Farley noted that thorough workplace accident investigations require time to complete, and the BWU will remain on standby to participate in follow-up processes once official recommendations are released. “We expect this investigation will take several weeks to wrap up, after which the competent authority will share formal conclusions and next steps with the company,” she said. “As the representative body for the workers, we expect to be included in all discussions moving forward, but for now we must wait for the official findings.”
To date, both ReadyMix and the BWU have prioritized mental health support for all workers impacted by the traumatic event. According to Farley, the quarry operator has already stepped up to provide free counselling to any employee who wants support, and has committed to covering all care and costs for injured workers and their families, commitments the BWU confirmed during its post-incident meeting with management. “The company has followed through on its initial promises to treat injured workers and arrange counselling for all staff who were affected by what happened,” Farley said. “Any worker that requested counselling has received it, and management has made clear they will stand by the injured workers and the family of the deceased worker.”
BWU general secretary Toni Moore opened the health and safety conference by extending formal condolences to all those touched by the tragedy, emphasizing the profound ripple effect that a fatal workplace accident has across an entire work community. “Our hearts go out to the family of the worker who lost their life, to the workers who sustained injuries, and to every single person who was on site that day,” Moore said. “This is an unimaginable shock: you work alongside a colleague one minute, and the next you are doing everything you can to resuscitate them, only to lose them, while others are hurt. The entire worksite feels this loss, and we stand with all of you as you process it.”