May 5, 2008

News from the job site

A selection of brief stories from construction sites in Canada and Australia.

Crane brings down overhead wires

About 4,300 Vancouver residents were left without power on April 28 after a construction mishap in the West End.

A construction crane inadvertently took down some overhead wires causing a blackout, which affected an area of Downtown Vancouver from Stanley Park to Burrard street and Comox to Haro street. The interruption affected a mix of residential and commercial customers. Work crews had the power restored by late afternoon.

Worker pinned

A construction worker, who was pinned underneath a slab of steel on April 28, was freed by rescue workers.

The man was working on a construction site at Robson and Cambie streets and was trapped when a six-by-three-metre steel elevator panel weighing 226 kilograms fell on him at about 9 a.m.

He was extracted by rescue workers and is now in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. WorkSafe BC is investigating the incident.

Bridge repairs

The B.C. Ministry of Transportation announced on April 15 that it is investing $1.2 million for repairs to the Taghum Bridge outside of Nelson.

The work will include resurfacing the bridge deck and replacing the bridge joints. Approaches to the bridge will also be repaired to provide a smooth transition to the new bridge deck.

The improvements will make for a safer and more durable bridge with a smoother traveling surface.

Seismic 2000 Construction Ltd. of Langley is the project’s contractor. The work is underway with an expected completion date of early summer.

Aussie crunch

The construction industry in Victoria, Australia will need 40,000 skilled workers over the next five years to meet its labour needs, states the Master Builders Association of Victoria (MBAV).

The state’s construction industry continues to enjoy strong growth, directly employing 170,000 Victorians.

An aging workforce and a lack of apprentices is contributing to the problem. The association is calling on the government to fund a study into why apprentices are bailing out of apprenticeships before completion.

According to government statistics, in 2006 there was an increase of just two per cent in apprenticeship starts but a 5.3 per cent increase in cancellations and withdrawals. The group also wants the government fund an advertising campaign to attract new blood to the building and construction industry.

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