Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer
VANCOUVER – WorkSafeBC has updated its penalties database to include three administrative penalties totaling approximately $1.3 million following a series of crane-related safety violations in 2024 and 2025, including one incident that resulted in a fatality.
The penalties, published Dec. 12, address safety failures at construction sites in Vancouver and Victoria. The majority of the fines were levied against EllisDon Corporation, alongside a penalty for Newway Concrete Forming.
Oakridge Park fatality
Two of the penalties, totaling more than $627,000, stem from the investigation into the February 2024 death of worker Yuridia Flores at the Oakridge Park construction site in Vancouver.
According to WorkSafeBC, a tower crane was lifting a flytable formwork system when the load accelerated out of the side of the building and fell, striking and fatally injuring the worker.
- EllisDon Corporation was fined $514,831.53. As the prime contractor, WorkSafeBC determined the firm failed to conduct regular reviews of subcontractor safety procedures, did not ensure a critical lift plan was in place, and failed to coordinate health and safety activities at the multi-employer site.
- Newway Concrete Forming was fined $112,624.66. WorkSafeBC identified multiple deficiencies, including lack of training for ground control workers, inadequate procedures for flying corner tables, and failure to adhere to critical lift requirements.
Recurring safety issues
A third administrative penalty of $688,589.56 was issued to EllisDon Corporation in relation to two subsequent crane incidents in 2025.
- Vancouver (April 2025): A rigging sling failed after being cut by a sharp canopy edge, causing a load of steel components to fall.
- Victoria (June 2025): A tower crane lost its load of core box formwork during a lift.
WorkSafeBC investigations found that in both cases, the firm had not ensured detailed lift plans were developed or reviewed prior to the operations. The agency cited EllisDon for a “repeated and high-risk violation” for failing to maintain a system ensuring regulatory compliance as a prime contractor.
Focus on crane safety
WorkSafeBC stated that the penalties are intended to motivate compliance amidst increasing risks in the sector. A 2024 review by the agency concluded that risks are rising due to the record number of cranes in operation and the complexity of multi-employer worksites.
“The three penalties demonstrate that there are significant financial consequences for high-risk violations and repeated non-compliance,” the agency stated in the release.
In 2024, the Provincial Crane Inspection Team conducted over 1,500 inspections, issuing more than 800 orders, including 36 stop-work orders.
