Construction incident summaries are based on information obtained as soon as possible after the incidents: they are preliminary and subject to change. Details have been edited to protect workers’ privacy.
Core Activity: House or other wood frame contracting, construction, or renovation work
Location: Vancouver Island/Coastal B.C.
Date of Incident: 2020-Jul
A worker was performing framing activities in an existing mixed commercial/residential building. While positioned on a manufactured steel frame scaffolding system, the worker fell to the concrete floor (5-10 feet below).
Injury Type: Bruising, pain, headache (1 worker)
Core Activity: Traffic control
Location: Vancouver Island/Coastal B.C.
Date of Incident: 2020-Jun
Two traffic control persons (TCPs) were assisting with the movement of heavy equipment and truck traffic to and from a worksite onto a highway near an intersection. The TCP stationed at the north end of the work zone was trying to determine the location of a truck approaching the highway from the worksite. The TCP looked away from the public traffic momentarily. As the TCP was turning their head back toward oncoming traffic, a vehicle’s passenger side mirror struck the TCP’s sign (paddle), deflecting it into the TCP.
Injury Type: Undetermined injuries
Core Activity: Mobile crane operation / House or other wood frame contracting, construction, or renovation work
Location: Lower Mainland
Date of Incident: 2020-Jun
A worker was operating a mobile crane, offloading lumber and building materials onto an elevated deck/landing structure of a new home under construction. The structure became unstable and collapsed without warning, and the worker was struck by falling material.
Injury Type: Multiple fractures (1 worker)
Core Activity: Excavator operation
Location: Lower Mainland
Date of Incident: 2020-Jun
A backhoe operator was driving a backhoe through an alleyway with a 3,300-pound light tower hanging from the bucket. A worker was holding on to the trailer hitch of the light tower to prevent excessive swinging. Some tree branches were hanging into the alleyway and as the worker holding the light tower walked through the tree branches, the worker tripped and was struck by the backhoe’s front wheel.
Injury Type: Multiple fractures
Core Activity: Structural concrete forming
Location: Lower Mainland
Date of Incident: 2020-Jun
A worker was laying out 4×6 timber joists while building concrete formwork decking on a commercial highrise building. The worker fell through the decking, landing on the concrete floor about 9.5 feet below.
Injury Type: Close call
Core Activity: Blasting
Location: Vancouver Island/Coastal B.C.
Date of Incident: 2020-Jun
In a residential area, a blaster loaded a 19-hole (35 mm diameter) blast with electronic detonators. The blast zone was covered with five blast mats, each 5,000 pounds. When the blast was detonated the mats blew off, and fly rock escaped and struck a motor home 15 metres away. No injuries were sustained, due in part to the fact that all persons had been cleared from the blast site.
Injury Type: Head injury, injuries to upper body
Core Activity: Painting or wallpapering
Location: Lower Mainland
Date of Incident: 2020-Jun
A worker fell about 8 feet from a set of stairs when a temporary handrail gave way.
Injury Type: Injury to upper body (1 worker)
Core Activity: Structural concrete forming
Location: Lower Mainland
Date of Incident: 2020-Jun
Workers were standing on a scaffold system, installing floor joists between gaps in the concrete formwork tables on a new commercial building. A worker stepped from the scaffolding onto the first joist in order to place a second joist. The worker stepped back into an opening between the first joist and the scaffold platform, and fell about 9 feet to the concrete floor below.
Injury Type: Undetermined injuries (1 worker)
Core Activity: House or other wood frame contracting, construction, or renovation work
Location: Lower Mainland
Date of Incident: 2020-Jun
Workers were installing plywood sheathing on a residential re-roofing project. A worker fell from the roof edge to the plywood floor about 9 feet below.
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