[drum118]

Perhaps ... but I've talked to contractors who use the nearly identical rig to the one that toppled. They couldn't understand why anyone was so incompetent thatr the rig was moving with the boom extended the way it was. The operator should have known it wasn't right. As should a half-dozen people on Site who should have shut them down. It was an accident waiting to happen. From what I've heard, this wasn't a fluke, but a direct result of the equipment being used in a way that it was never meant to be, and any competent contractor would have known that.

My gut feeling on what I have heard that is "hear say only", the operator was at fault. Not the first time operator error or incompetent has happen on site. Even what I saw on site said the same thing.

Seen the boom on a 150 T Mobile crane buckle while lifting a $200,000 piece of equipment to the point that the equipment was a wright off as well the 2 month old crane. Operatore claim the equipment weight more that the lift call for, but in the end, he had the boom too far out for the weight. It took 6 months of investagation and checking the crane and equipment to state operator error. The company was force to have its insurance company paid the cost of rebuilding the new equipment and buying a new crane. It also had to pay for the delay of the project.

If the foreman was on site along with safety personal, then there is legal problems at hand. If it was only workers, then they could not do anything since they have no power to do so, other walking of the site claiming safety issues.

The sad thing is, rule of thumb on this type of project will see at least one person kill.

All company's have sign posted on site some where stating how many man hours have taken place between injuries.

On this type of project, you will have dozens of subcontractors to the main contractor. Some of these subcontractors will have subcontractors also.

Over the years, I have thrown a few subcontractors off sites for various reason with safety being number one and I was only a sub in the first place. 720 was the worse to deal with when you asked for one type of personal and got a different one, as that was left in the hall at the time. Some were good, but most only last a few hours or a day and told never show up again.

I have seen brand new chokers and slings break during a lift that has caused issues and delays. Can't blame the crew or the operator, as they didn't make them in the first place.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

I also thought of something else: If YRT and GO buses are no longer allowed on campus and will be serving the Steeles West station, then what's the point of the 407 station?

There are two big points to the 407 station. First, it's where all the parking is going to be as there will be none at VMC.

Also, it's going to be a major hub when they build the 407 Transitway. I know the idea of getting something in place beforehand is rather unique in GTA transit planning but it does happen occasionally....

 

[W. K. Lis]

There are two big points to the 407 station. First, it's where all the parking is going to be as there will be none at VMC.

Also, it's going to be a major hub when they build the 407 Transitway. I know the idea of getting something in place beforehand is rather unique in GTA transit planning but it does happen occasionally....

In addition, the parking would be accessed AFTER exiting the 407, no direct entry from the 407. The parking entry will be from Jane Street and behind the bike parking and main entrance.

Still a lousy walk-in entry.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

In addition, the parking would be accessed AFTER exiting the 407, no direct entry from the 407. The parking entry will be from Jane Street and behind the bike parking and main entrance.

Still a lousy walk-in entry.

That's silly, and the only reason I can think for them doing it like this is for ease of tolls management. One off ramp means only one set of cameras and ramp approaches. It will be interesting to watch this area once completed to see just how many people are coming off the 407 and heading for the commuter lots.

 

[smallspy]

In addition, the parking would be accessed AFTER exiting the 407, no direct entry from the 407. The parking entry will be from Jane Street and behind
the bike parking and main entrance.

And where would all of the infrastructure for the future 407 Transitway Maintenance Centre go?

Still a lousy walk-in entry.

For whom exactly? There is precisely ZERO development scheduled for this area for something like the next 50 years.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[W. K. Lis]

And where would all of the infrastructure for the future 407 Transitway Maintenance Centre go?



For whom exactly? There is precisely ZERO development scheduled for this area for something like the next 50 years.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

But the extension is a high density rapid transit line. Don't the powers-that-be know that high density development is needed for it to be cost effective? Why else would they put a station in a low density area like the 407?

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

But the extension is a high density rapid transit line. Don't the powers-that-be know that high density development is needed for it to be cost effective? Why else would they put a station in a low density area like the 407?

The corridor was always earmarked for express rapid transit alongside the highway. It was never meant to be a subway-like corridor with consistent density but more like a GO Train corridor that connects nodes. Most of the people getting on and off the Transitway will be arriving by other transit, not walking in from their adjacent homes. It's really a totally different model from things like Viva and the two York Region subways that will feed into it.

That station, on the subway line, is there now primarily for the parking and, in the future, for the transitway. The VMC station is where all the density is going. It's not like anyone wants to live under the hydro lines, beside the highway anyway.

It's a bit of a different situation but the planned Yonge extension has a similar-ish setup. The Langstaff station will have parking and provide some access to the new Langstaff community but the real transit hub will be the terminal stop at Richmond Hill Centre. Not every station has to have the same purpose.

 

[TOareaFan]

As I read through this and trying to keep up, it is interesting that buses will no longer go to York University itself. This makes sense for the campus but it will have some impact, i guess on people who currently bus to school. For example, one of the main drivers of the successful launch of Brampton's first BRT line was that York U is the terminus and that students (ever cost aware ) have chosen a BT trip from Brampton to York over the slightly more expensive GO trip. Would Zum buses now go to this 407 stop on the subway? How will a double fare impact student ridership? I guess if GO buses are also not going to campus there is still a relative saving (ie. it would still be cheaper to Zum to 407 station and subway to school than GO to 407 station) even if the absolute cost increases.

 

[lead82]

Buses will go to Steeles West station. From there it is walkable to most of northern campus buildings, or students can pay TTC fare and ride for one stop.

 

[TOareaFan]

Buses will go to Steeles West station. From there it is walkable to most of northern campus buildings, or students can pay TTC fare and ride for one stop.

Thx. It just seemed that the 407 stop was being portrayed as the transit hub.

 

[smallspy]

But the extension is a high density rapid transit line. Don't the powers-that-be know that high density development is needed for it to be cost effective? Why else would they put a station in a low density area like the 407?

Are you kidding? If not, why the hell weren't you asking this question 5 years ago, when the planning for the project began?

Have you ever been by that location to see just what there is (and isn't) in the area? Unless Hydro One plans to dig one of its most important interconnects underneath the 407, virtually nothing will ever be built around there, and certainly nothing considered "high density".

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

Thx. It just seemed that the 407 stop was being portrayed as the transit hub.

It seems more like the 407 and Steeles west station pair will serve as more of the transit hub for the area rather than one station or the other. For example, the Jane TC LRT was to terminate at Steeles W station as will most YRT routes, while 407 would serve some local (read YRT) but mainly GO buses.

 

[nfitz]

The sad thing is, rule of thumb on this type of project will see at least one person kill.

They had their death very early in the project. At the rate they are going, it could be worse.

work's back on at York University.

And this morning, only a couple of days later, two more are injured with one in hospital. Hopefully this one survives.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/06/toronto-industrial-accident.html

This is a really bad pattern. Who is the general contractor for this station? The contract award information isn't jumping out at me at the TTC site.

 

[Mulder]

They had their death very early in the project. At the rate they are going, it could be worse.

And this morning, only a couple of days later, two more are injured with one in hospital. Hopefully this one survives.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/06/toronto-industrial-accident.html

This is a really bad pattern. Who is the general contractor for this station? The contract award information isn't jumping out at me at the TTC site.

Walsh Construction. Aperently the Site Super is a guy from the states.

 

[smallspy]

And this morning, only a couple of days later, two more are injured with one in hospital. Hopefully this one survives.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/06/toronto-industrial-accident.html

This is a really bad pattern. Who is the general contractor for this station? The contract award information isn't jumping out at me at the TTC site.

Although the media reports have been really vague about the location - probably to tie it in with the previous accident - it appears that this one was on a different site worked on by a different contractor. This accident appears to have been in the TBM pit at the north end of York U, not the actual York U station location.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.