Worker’s Heart Attack Wasn’t Caused by Heat or Stress

A worker filed a workers’ comp claim, alleging that he suffered a heart attack at work while in a confined and hot environment and after a confrontation with several supervisors. The WCB rejected the claim on the grounds that the injury wasn’t work related, noting that the worker had coronary artery disease. The worker appealed. Acknowledging that the worker had suffered a cardiac incident, the Appeals Commission concluded that the evidence didn’t support a finding that an occupational exposure or stress caused the incident. In addition, there was no evidence that the worker was exposed to extreme heat at the time of the incident. Rather, he had coronary artery disease and other medical risk factors unrelated to his working conditions that led to the cardiac incident [Decision No.: 2013-0861, [2013] CanLII 59334 (AB WCAC), Sept. 18, 2013].