SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Tim Mcauley sits in his Yellowknife hotel room with his leg resting on a pile of pillows, bandages covering where his foot used to be.

Mcauley lost his foot in a work-related accident less than a month ago and faces further amputation just below the knee.

Tim Mcauley is awaiting further amputation to his leg after a work accident at the Snare Hydro Power Plant. As he struggles to recover, Mcauley is facing challenges to get enough compensation to survive. - Cara Loverock/NNSL Photo

As an equipment operator for Carter Industries, a contractor for NWT Power Corp., he was working at the Snare Hydro Power Plant on June 3.

During a bridge-lifting operation, the rigging snapped and came down on his foot, pinning him.

The bridge, Mcauley said, was lifted up a lot higher than it had to be. "The rigging snapped and the bridge came down on my foot."

Lack of proper training on rigging contributed to the accident, Mcauley said. Workers on the site should have used slings instead of chains to secure themselves to the structure, he explained.

"It was well over an hour before I got medical treatment," said Mcauley. A loader was used to lift the bridge off his leg and he was then put into a van and taken to the airstrip, where he was medevaced to Stanton Territorial Hospital. He said the pain he went through in the time it took to get medical attention could have been alleviated if there had been medication available on-site, or a person on site qualified to administer medication.

Mcauley now faces a long road to recovery and it's not going to be easy. He said his understanding was he was a permanent employee, however Carter Industries has listed him as seasonal and that will affect his compensation.

"It's going to be less than what I need to live on," he said, adding that he still has physical therapy to go through and will need to learn how to walk with a prosthesis.

Mcauley had been working for Carter Industries for 15 weeks as an equipment operator, but had been doing a similar job for Rowe's Construction.

Dave Grundy, director of communications and information for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission, confirmed if a worker is listed as seasonal as opposed to permanent it does affect the amount of compensation given.

"Permanent workers' calculations are based on a year's worth of salary," Grundy explained.

Seasonal is based on seasonal salary. So if you're only working for three months your compensation is based on three months of work.

"If you're working for a year, then your compensation is based on your salary for a year," he added.

Grundy could not refer specifically to Mcauley's case. He said that as far as he is aware Mcauley's situation is still being investigated.

Born and raised in Hay River, Mcauley is a welder by trade.

He said once he has recovered he wants to pursue work at one of the mines. He also expressed frustration he had to take work with a contractor instead of gaining employment at the mine, especially as a life-long Northerner.

"I'd like to be trained for a good job at the mine," said Mcauley. As far as receiving compensation, he said his main concern is the lack of paid recovery time.

But at the same time, Mcauley is eager to get back to work and earn a living.

"I'd much rather be sweating my butt off working 12 hours a day," he said.

"I don't have that option."

Calls to Carter Industries were not returned by press time.