More information has come to light regarding a Squamish construction worker injured during the windstorm on Dec. 20.
At its peak, winds reached 111 kilometres an hour in some areas, including at the Squamish Spit. According to BC Hydro, more than 750 spans of wire, 270 poles, 400 cross-arms, and 150 transformers were damaged by the winds, knocking out power to more than homes.
"This is one of the most severe storms BC Hydro has experienced in years," a spokesperson wrote on the Crown corporation's website.
On the day of the storm, there was concern in Squamish, expressed in person and online, that construction workers were working exposed to the high winds on projects in town.
One worker at the four-storey Cleveland Gardens, downtown, was injured in the storm.
Tomasz Nowak, project manager with Atti Group, which is developing Cleveland Gardens told The Chief the worker was on the ground during his break when "the very strong wind picked up a package of the roofing insulation Styrofoam material and pushed it off the roof. The package struck the worker on the ground."
The injured worker was taken to the hospital and released later that day, with “no major injuries.”
Nowak stressed that none of the employees were working on the roof in the elements on Dec. 20, "except early that day to secure all the materials in anticipation of high winds."
"Our policies of working in adverse weather conditions include a number of precautionary measures based [on] Squamish construction worker slightly injured in Dec. 20 windstorm
A WorkSafe BC spokesperson told The Chief that hazards at the Cleveland Gardens site have been addressed.
"The employer is conducting an investigation that will be submitted to WorkSafeBC when complete."
No stop-work order was issued for the project, as the hazards specific to this incident were addressed, the spokesperson said.
Because The Chief's request was sent during the holiday period, the organization couldn't provide more specifics including if there were other injuries sustained in the windstorm in the Sea to Sky Corridor.
But the spokesperson did offer some insight into what the guidelines are for such weather events.
"In the case of wind, which is unpredictable, work activities should be modified or halted if conditions become too extreme."
The windstorm also led to a partially built Solterra building in the business park collapsing.
“All of our workers reacted quickly and got out or backed away from the building as soon as the winds picked up," said Leanne Rundle, marketing manager for the Solterra Group of Companies. "We are fortunate that no one was injured and we are now working on getting the site cleaned up and back on track.”
The Chief will continue to follow this story.
