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By Sam Bennison

Mental health

Local advocate calls for improved protections for workers employed to clean fatalities

Jul 12, 2024 | 5:00 AM

PRINCE GEORGE—It’s a job that is rarely talked about and some might argue, taken for granted. Who is responsible for clean up after someone has passed away?

Whether it’s by accident foul play or by natural causes- there is someone responsible for cleaning up and removing the deceased. According to a local Dead Body Removal Attendant the industry does not adequately prepare people when entering this line of work, causing mental harm.

“One of the things to keep in mind is if you’re working this field in a town with a smaller population than, like a big city, there are higher chances of you having to see someone you know, in the job,” says the attendant who wishes to remain anonymous to protect their employment.

The attendant hopes that WorkSafe B.C. can step up and require better mental health supports in the industry. WorkSafe B.C. says that while they have psychological health and safety initiative they are looking to add further regulations to protect workers.

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“It’s an area where we are building specific regulation around psychological health and safety. But there are elements that we definitely do inspect throughout the province each day,” says Suzana Prpic, director in prevention field services at WorkSafe B.C.

A mental health professional in Prince George says that applying similar training standards and appropriate aftercare, like the care first responders receive, would greatly reduce the mental toll on those working in jobs like this.

Seeing death isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you are prepared for death, if you know it’s coming, death is a normal part of life,” explains Tricia Wright, a registered clinical counsellor. “But it can be traumatic if it’s not something that you are prepared for. If it’s somebody who’s known to you, it’s, in itself, a graphic or a traumatic event. It can be really troubling for people.”

At the moment, the B.C. Coroners service does not require contractors to provide mental health supports and until new legislation is put in place, mental safety is at the discretion of the employer.

The Body Removal Attendant says that it would help to have a counselor service that an employee could call when in distress.

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Email: sam.bennison@pattisonmedia.com