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Tragedy brings attention to urgent need for proper training and safety
(March 2008) By Brian Cochrane, Assistant Business Manager On Jan. 21, Andrew Slobodian, a first-year ironworker apprentice, was crushed to death in the small mobile crane he was operating on the Canada Line SkyTrain bridge. He was just 22 years old. This tragedy again highlighted the need for mandatory crane operator apprenticeships and Red Seal certification. In 2003, the provincial government dropped the regulation that required operators of hoisting equipment to be accredited and certified. Even before this misguided decision, your Local Union believed accreditation and certification were not enough. Our Training Plan offers a three-year apprenticeship program covering all aspects of operating a wide range of hoisting equipment because we firmly believe crane operation should be a mandatory Red Seal trade. Up until 2007, crane operators in B.C. did not require any certification. The Operating Engineers Local 115 and our contractors launched a major campaign that took hours of meetings, many position papers and several years to convince the government and WCB (now WorkSafeBC) that they had made a terrible error. Thanks to growing public concern, we were successful in getting WorkSafeBC to reintroduce registration and certification of operators. But we need to do more. More than 10,000 people have registered with the B.C. Association for Crane Safety. Executive Director Fraser Cocks said the association can only recommend that these crane operators get proper training or attend an apprenticeship program, but it’s not mandatory. As he told a reporter, “The error factor is critical. If you make a mistake with a saw and cut the board too short, it’s not going to harm anyone, but if there’s a calculated error and you make a heavy lift at the extremity of the crane’s lift capacity, it becomes very important.” Even deadly. The company working on the Canada Line could face penalties if a WorkSafe review turns up evidence of non-compliance with safety regulations. That brings up another problem that came with the provincial government’s deregulation frenzy in 2003. There is not enough funding to provide regular safety inspections of construction sites. Safety training and ensuring safe work environments is being left to employers. Construction workers in all trades are working flat out in an industry rife with subcontracting and a flourishing underground economy. People are working long hours and being pushed to their physical limits. Safety requires that workers receive training to recognized standards and that proper safety legislation is developed, monitored and enforced. Your Local Union is continuing to lobby all levels of government and WorkSafeBC about the need for better attention to the health and safety of our members, and to have crane operators be required to complete an accredited apprenticeship program and receive Red Seal endorsement. |
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