Another crane incident in Vancouver has prompted WorkSafeBC to bring together labour stakeholders and industry leaders to discuss crane safety and implement changes.
There have now been four crane incidents in Metro Vancouver since the beginning of 2024.
The latest incident occurred at approximately 12:40 p.m. on March 4 at a construction site in the 2600 block of Victoria Drive.
WorkSafeBC investigators said no one was injured but a stop-use order was placed on the crane. A stop-work order was also issued for a section of the workplace until a qualified person has confirmed that it is safe for workers to re-enter.
On Feb. 21, Yuridia Flores was struck and killed while working at the Oakridge complex in Vancouver.
A load being suspended by a crane fell with debris striking part of the building.
On Jan. 26, a crane toppled from the top of a high-rise construction site in Burnaby. Luckily, no one was injured.
On Jan. 30, a crane snapped at a Surrey construction site.
Preliminary evidence, at this time, suggests there are few, if any, similarities between the three incidents, or the equipment involved.
“WorkSafeBC is actively working to understand the cause of these crane-related incidents, and any contributing factors, so that similar incidents can be prevented from happening in the future,” the organization said in a statement.
WorkSafeBC and BC Crane Safety met with crane employers and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 115 on Tuesday to discuss a proposed regulation that will require employers to submit a Notice of Project for tower crane erection, climbing, repositioning, and dismantling.
In the next few weeks, WorkSafeBC is meeting with industry and labour partners to communicate its plans about crane safety.
“Multiple incidents involving cranes demonstrate that workplace safety can never be taken for granted,” Todd McDonald, head of prevention services at WorkSafeBC said in a statement.
“And while each of the recent incidents appears to be unique, employers are reminded of the need to be vigilant in ensuring the maintenance of their equipment and the safe working procedures of their staff.”
WorkSafeBC said it has a Provincial Crane Inspection Team with extensive experience and training in crane use. This team conducts proactive risk-based inspections across B.C. to ensure employers manage the key risks across all stages of crane use.
There are approximately 350 tower cranes currently operating in B.C.
Crane operators are required to be certified in the province.
In the last five years, there have been 22 incidents involving tower cranes in B.C., including a catastrophic failure in Kelowna in 2021 that claimed the lives of five workers.
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