The spike in construction on the Sunshine Coast and the flood of young, inexperienced workers filling in the gaps on worksites has some people concerned about safety.
Ken Boucher, a regional prevention manager with Worksafe B.C. (WBC), said during a recent phone interview, "Anytime there is a skilled labour shortage, workers are at a greater risk of being injured."
Young workers, according to Boucher, are up against a "double-whammy" when it comes to injury because they possess fewer job skills and fewer life skills - unlike seasoned tradespeople, they can't bank on experience to predict the mechanics of things.
The injury rate for young male workers in B.C. is about 33 per cent higher than the overall injury rate, and five young workers are permanently injured in B.C. each week, according to WBC's website.
Accidents in all industries on the Sunshine Coast appear to be lower this year, however, compared with figures for the same time last year.
According to Laurie Dawkins, director of public affairs for the Coastal Health Authority, as of June 2005, 137 claims had been filed in hospital emergency rooms, up from 109 as of June this year.
Boucher said there is no single reason to explain the apparent drop in WBC claims and added the figures are not definitive until they are consolidated at year's end. He also said that buoyant economies create a better mood among the workforce, which can cause some people to "push through" their accidents.
Colin Fenton, owner and instructor of Samaritan First Aid, said he's concerned about what's going on in the housing industry because he's seen first-hand several sites that lack even basic first-aid supplies and attendants. He also noted that lower enrolment at his institution doesn't reflect the bustling economic activity on the Sunshine Coast.
"A lot of businesses just can't afford to send people to training right now because they're so busy. It's like that in everything - there is such a huge shortage of tradespeople," Fenton said.
Fenton thinks that if young workers aren't trained to work safely from day one, chances are they will develop unsafe habits that will plague them all their lives.
Boucher agreed. "We focus on young workers when we come onto a job site," he noted.
While most construction companies contacted declined an interview with Coast Reporter, site supervisor Richard Shalland of Wakefield Homes was willing to talk about the safety and training of young workers on his operation.
"We run a very, very strict site," he said. "You can talk to [Sunshine Coast WBC inspector] Al Chalmers about that. I have parents coming here, for their kids, that want them here [to work]."
Both Shalland and Fenton said that higher-profile municipal projects like the new arena/community centre in Gibsons and bigger residential endeavours tend to be safer sites than smaller contracts. "Where you got it worse is the guy out of the back of a pickup," Shalland said, pointing out that safety equipment such as scaffolding is less likely to be used on smaller projects.
Shalland added that the pressure to cut corners in order to finish projects on time and avoid penalties is usually a factor in increasing accidents.
"In the end it doesn't pay. It doesn't make the time frame quicker; it makes it slower. If you lose guys, the job goes slower," Shalland said.
Boucher said the number of tickets issued for safety infractions and non-compliance in the construction industry "is up considerably over 2005."
"We're up a solid 30 per cent right now," he stated.
Fines range from $1,500 to $500,000 and are scaled according to a company's payroll size, the risks involved and the threat to life and health created by the worksite.
Boucher says WBC is currently monitoring "targeted sites," looking for three specific potential hazards common to construction: falls from elevation, workers being struck by equipment, trees or construction materials and injuries due to strains, sprains and overexertion.
While there is currently only one WBC inspector for the Sunshine Coast, Boucher noted that there is a possibility of more being added in the next year or two.
Fenton said he would welcome stricter enforcement of safety regulations for construction sites in the area.
"I'm not hoping so for the fact of business, I'm hoping so for the safety of people," Boucher said.
