WorkSafeBC is continuing to investigate the December 2 deaths of two workers at sites operated by Ledcor Group of Companies subcontractors.
The construction workers died hours apart on two separate sites.
“It is obviously a double tragedy for that employer given that the deaths happened so quickly together, but it’s still under active investigation so I can’t comment on it,” said Al Johnson, who is WorkSafeBC’s regional director for Lower Mainland Centre/North in the worker and employer services division.
Johnson had just attended Friday’s memorial commemorating the 30th anniversary of four workers who died when they fell 36 storeys while constructing the Bentall Four tower.
Retired United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 452 vice-president Colin Snell told the crowd of dozens who gathered to remember the workers that years ago, when he sat on the commission that investigated workers’ deaths, he was shocked to discover inspections were only being done in daylight hours.
Johnson told Business in Vancouver WorkSafeBC safety inspectors now conduct safety assessments whenever construction workers are on the job.
For example, WorkSafeBC inspectors recently inspected construction of the Port Mann Bridge on a 6 p.m. to midnight shift, he said.
“We have a team of 18 officers dedicated to the Lower Mainland that do nothing but residential construction inspections. They work on a shifts, six days a week and they inspect on all the hours that are used in residential construction – that means longer days in the summer and shorter ones in the winter.”