Calls for more tower crane safety after death of Vancouver worker

The union representing crane operators in B.C. is asking for stricter safety regulations after a Vancouver construction worker was killed when a crane’s load fell on her.

Yuridia Flores, a mother of two from Mexico, was confirmed as the worker killed when the tower crane at the Oakridge redevelopment site dropped its load onto a building, which subsequently fell onto her.

Flores’s family has confirmed her identity to CBC News. Her death is being looked into by the provincial workplace regulator, WorkSafeBC, as well as the police and coroners service.

Her death has sparked calls for better regulations and training for tower crane operators in the province, especially being the third incident in the last month involving a tower crane in Metro Vancouver, that is being investigated by WorkSafeBC.

The Oakridge crane incident came just a day after criminal charges were recommended in a fatal crane collapse in Kelowna in 2021.

“Clearly, the safety regime isn’t what it should be, and we lack the regulations to keep our construction sites safe,” said Josh Towsley, assistant business manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 115.

Towsley said that, currently, crane operators in the province can work even when on a provisional licence, and the only requirement to gain a provisional licence is to pass an online exam.

He also reiterated calls for the government to implement mandatory licensing for those who assemble and disassemble tower cranes.

“What I’m calling for is [B.C.] to be a leader in tower crane safety. Unfortunately, we seem to be leading [in] tower crane incidents,” Towsley said.

“We fall short of some of the other provinces when it comes to making sure that people are safe on construction sites, and that needs to change.”

Labour minister promises changes

Harry Bains, the provincial labour minister, told CBC On The Coast guest host Amy Bell that the Oakridge crane incident was a stark reminder of the importance of workplace safety.

“Obviously there must be something missing here because we’ve seen three crane incidents … this year in B.C.,” he said. “That’s not acceptable.

“The preliminary investigations show that there might not be very many similarities [in] all three incidences. But I don’t want to leave any stone unturned, because workers’ health and safety is a number one priority.”

Bains said he would be working with unions, including the IUOE, on further regulatory changes regarding tower crane operators.

He added that WorkSafeBC is already working on some changes to its regulations, including making it so employers have to submit notices of tower crane assembly ahead of time.

The provincial workplace regulator had previously told CBC News that an incoming requirement will make operating a crane in B.C. a “compulsory trade,” which means all crane operators will be mandated to undergo an apprenticeship before beginning their job.

WorkSafeBC has issued a stop-use order on the tower crane involved in the Oakridge death, and also issued a larger stop-work order for the whole construction site.