By Canadian Press

‘Several critical safety failures’ behind B.C. workers death, WorkSafeBC says

Mar 12, 2025 | 2:45 PM

RICHMOND, B.C. — WorkSafeBC says a worker killed in Vancouver last year when a mould used for concrete fell 26 storeys should never have been able to stand where she was.

The report released by the province’s worker safety agency says “several critical safety failures” are to blame for the death of the woman at the Oakridge Park development site in February of 2024.

It says CCTV footage revealed “no effective controls in place” and safety protocols not followed, with workers often under suspended loads and entering areas that should have been off-limit “ground control zones.”

The agency says there was a lack of clarity about which contractor was responsible for the control zones and that ambiguity “contributed significantly,” as no single employer took responsibility.

The primary contractor, EllisDon, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, although a lawyer for another contractor, Newway, says in a statement that it has already implemented changes to how it carries out inspections and operates control zones.

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The report says on the day of the death, several workers were pushing the mould as it was rigged to a crane when it “suddenly accelerated out of the side of the building” falling on the female worker.

The report says EllisDon, as the prime contractor, did not ensure that the hazards were identified or that the safety measures for critical lifts and overhead work were co-ordinated, exposing workers to serious risks.

“EllisDon failed to ensure that there was adequate planning, co-ordination, hazard identification, risk assessment, training, and supervision for the critical lift and overhead work on the day of the incident,” the report says.

It says the company also failed to review policies and procedures, including those for spotters and ground control zones during the hoisting and repositioning of the mould, also called a flytable, “leading to the development of unsafe conditions.”

“The inadequate fulfilment of prime contractor responsibilities was a key contributing factor in the incident,” the report says.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2025.

The Canadian Press