WorkSafeBC has levied $1.3 million in fines against construction firms for crane accidents, including a fatal Vancouver incident.
Two of the three administrative penalties were imposed against EllisDon Corporation, with the third being imposed against Newway Concrete Forming.
The first penalty imposed against EllisDon was $514,831.53. The compensation board says that the firm was the prime contractor at a high-rise complex that WorkSafeBC attended in response to an incident.
WorkSafeBC says that a concrete forming subcontractor was using a tower crane to lift a flytable from one floor to another. As that was happening, it accelerated out of the side of the building, falling to the ground, and then striking and fatally injuring a worker named Yuridia Flores.
After an investigation, WorkSafeBC came to the determination that the firm didn’t conduct regular reviews of safe work procedures and didn’t confirm that a risk assessment had been conducted. The firm didn’t identify that, on the day of the incident, the lift was “critical.”
The second penalty was levied against Newway Construction for $112,624.66 as part of the same incident.
“The firm failed to ensure a written lift plan was prepared for every critical lift and made available at the worksite, failed to ensure drawings and supplementary instructions for flyforms showed step-by-step procedures for each cycle, and failed to arrange work to prevent passing a load over any person.”
The third and largest penalty was again levied against EllisDon $688,589.56 for two other crane-related incidents, including one at Oakridge and one in Victoria.
“WorkSafeBC attended a worksite where this firm was the prime contractor in response to an incident. As a crane was moving a load of steel canopy components from a balcony to a lower level, the rigging sling failed when it was cut by the sharp edge of a canopy section, and the load fell.”
At the other worksite, a tower crane lost its load while lifting “core box formwork.”
“WorkSafeBC determined the lift plans lacked details for handling multi-connected formwork panels, and there was no system in place for inspecting work methods associated with safe rigging and lifting. In both incidents, the firm had not reviewed the lift plans prior to lifting.”
No serious injuries were reported.
WorkSafeBC added that it was a repeated high-risk violation for the Vancouver construction firm.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family, friends and colleagues of Yuridia Flores,” WorkSafeBC said.
WorkSafeBC has more information about the penalties on its website.