WorkSafeBC is responding after fierce winds partially tore off a tarp covering the Cleveland Gardens development during a winter storm on Sunday.
"I can confirm that a WorkSafeBC prevention officer has been assigned and is being dispatched to this worksite," wrote agency spokesperson Erica Simpson in an email to The Chief on Monday.
"WorkSafeBC has not been notified about any worker injuries."
The organization didn't provide any other details with respect to the incident.
A local shot this video and shared it with The Chief.
On Sunday, first responders surrounded the downtown site as the tarp wavered in the wind. In at least one case, the material touched electric wires, setting off sparks and a bang.
BC Hydro spokesperson Mora Scott told The Chief that this incident cut the power for 40 people in the downtown area at around 4:30 p.m. that day. Power was restored around 5 a.m. on Monday.
Bystanders posted videos and pictures to Facebook, and a Chief reporter also happened to be in the area at the time.
A project manager with Atti Management Group Inc., which is developing the Cleveland Gardens, said that there were no workers on site on Sunday and that no one was hurt.
Tomasz Nowak said the tarp was broken by high winds and blown over the power lines.
He added that in windy conditions the workers are instructed to secure all loose materials and leave the roof area, as per WorksafeBC guidelines.
“There was no damage to the Cleveland Gardens and there was no damage to the surrounding buildings,” wrote Nowak in an email to The Chief.
Nowak said the only work performed on Monday was by the scaffolding contractor’s crew. They were inspecting the scaffolding and found there was no damage to the structure.
Crews were expected to be back on the job on Tuesday.
Environment Canada had issued a warning for an Arctic outflow, and Squamish meteorologist Jason Ross said on Twitter that winds were gusting at up to about 90 kilometres per hour in Howe Sound.
This hasn't been the first time the wind posed a problem to the Cleveland Gardens site.
During the Dec. 20 windstorm last year, the strong gales whipped a piece of foam off the roof of the worksite.
The piece of debris fell from the four-storey building before striking a worker who was returning from lunch, according to a WorkSafeBC report. He was on the sidewalk outside the site perimeter.
A WorkSafeBC agent inspected the site and ordered Atti to address several issues.
WorkSafe also ordered Atti to conduct its own investigation into the matter.
Atti's investigation was due to be submitted on Jan. 4, but information regarding its findings were not immediately available.
However, in December, a WorkSafeBC spokesperson told The Chief hazards at the Cleveland Gardens site had been addressed, and no stop-work order was issued for the project.
-With files from Jennifer Thuncher
***Please note: This story has corrected to clarify that WorkSafeBC is "responding" rather than "investigating."
