Worksafe B.C. is investigating after a worker with a Tsawwassen-based construction company fell to his death at a Burnaby construction site last Thursday. Burnaby RCMP were on the scene at the Station Square high rise development next to Metropolis at
Metrotown after the man fell down an elevator shaft.
"We're working with the B.C. Coroners Service and Worksafe B.C.," said Staff Sgt. Maj. John Buis. "Any kind of situation like this is very traumatizing to everyone involved, to the company and the people in the area. It's awful. ... It's a regular workday, no one expects that kind of thing to occur." The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed the identity of the worker as Justin Andrew Jeffries, 29, of North Vancouver.
Worksafe B.C. has two investigators looking into the case, trying to determine what happened. They will be interviewing witnesses, talking to supervisors and the employer and reviewing the initial RCMP report as well as the coroners' report.
Worksafe B.C. will then determine if there were any violations of the Workers Compensation Act or occupational health and safety regulations.
"We take this very seriously of course, and it's very sad," said spokesperson Trish Knight Chernecki.
"Their family is expecting them and they don't come home."
The deceased worked for Quolus Construction Services, a Tsawwassenbased company that's been operating since 1993. The company had no comment when contacted Monday.
Quolus' website states it has contributed to Worksafe B.C. policy forums.
