Deaths prompt recommendation for clothing donation bin safety standards in Alberta

A judge is asking the Alberta government to consider developing minimum safety standards for clothing donation bins after three people got stuck trying to get inside and died.

Justice Jayme Williams reviewed the accidental deaths that happened in southern Alberta between 2017 and 2019. Her report with recommendations was released Thursday.

In the summer of 2017, Jessey Neil O’Quinn was found with his head and arms trapped inside a Diabetes Canada clothing donation bin in a mall parking lot in Calgary.

First responders freed the 24-year-old but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The report says bruises and cuts on his neck indicated he fought to free himself, but he ultimately suffocated to death.

The following summer, Ross Rodney Jackson, 33, was found unconscious after he was trapped in a Calgary donation bin.

The report says he was seen on security camera footage successfully getting in and out of multiple bins in a community centre parking lot, but on his third attempt he lost his grip and became stuck.

A passerby spotted legs hanging out of the bin and called 911. Jackson was taken to hospital and put on life support. It was determined he suffered an irreversible brain injury from a lack of oxygen, and he died two days later.

Amara Rose Meyer, 39, lost her footing trying to get inside a Salvation Army donation bin in Medicine Hat in the spring of 2019, says the report. She was found by a friend.

The report says she suffered traumatic neck injuries, suffocated and died before first responders arrived.

She was also impaled by “anti-theft spikes” attached to the inside of the bin, the report says.

All three individuals were experiencing homelessness and struggling with addiction at the time, the judge says.

She adds that the circumstances of each death varied slightly as did the design of each bin.

Representatives from Diabetes Canada and Calgary’s Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre, as well as a Calgary-based Salvation Army pastor, testified at the fatality inquiry and said they had taken immediate steps to prevent similar accidents.

The three organizations said “pinch points” were removed from their bins and warning signs were added.

Janelle Robertson with Diabetes Canada testified that the organization, which has been using clothing donation bins to generate revenue for over 20 years, decided to commission a new, safer style of bin after the death of O’Quinn.

The judge says it’s clear these bins can easily be made safer while not impeding the substantial benefits the donation programs provide.

“Benefits of these donation programs include the reduction of waste entering landfills, increased availability of affordable textiles for low-income households or vulnerable populations and financial support for charitable organizations,” Williams wrote in the report.

“These accidents were tragic and sadly the individuals who died were all vulnerable members of the community, individuals who these charitable programs are designed to support.”

Williams recommended the province consult bin manufacturers, charities and non-profit organizations with donation bin programs about potential regulations and safety standards.

“The consultation should focus on the creation of minimum safety standards to be applied to all bins utilized for textile donations in Alberta,” Williams says in the report.

She adds that any potential standards should have minimal impact to existing bins to allow for simple modifications, like those made by the organizations involved in the inquiry.

“The regulations should also consider future textile donation bins imported into the province and a requirement of safety certification for these that could be facilitated through manufacturers,” she wrote.

Williams says common sense requirements, like adding warning signs to bins and removing anti-theft spikes, should be considered.

Alberta Justice sent a letter with the report and recommendations to Municipal Affairs.

The press secretary for Minister Ric McIver, Heather Jenkins, said Thursday in an email that they are reviewing the report and considering the recommendations.

“Alberta’s government is committed to the health and safety of all Albertans,” Jenkins said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 2, 2025.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press