Shipping containers pose big risks: safety group

VANCOUVER Designed to transport goods across international waters, shipping containers have become darlings of the DIY world, linked with buzzwords like “pop up” and “upcycling.” They’ve also attracted the attention of B.C.’s workplace safety authority.

A new WorkSafeBC video campaign warns that reusing or repurposing shipping containers can “create unseen risks to workers and the public.”

“The potential for explosion is quite significant,” WorkSafeBC director Dan Strand said Friday.

Portable, strong and easy to secure, shipping containers have become a popular storage solution on construction sites across the province, he explained. Many large sites have one or two steel containers being used for a variety of purposes, including office space, electrical rooms or painting. They’re also popping up on farms and in residential neighbourhoods.

While the containers can be used safely, WorkSafe has found a lack of awareness about the risks. Because they are airtight and watertight, it is unsafe to store anything flammable inside without ventilation.

Employees should be trained to prevent accidents while signage lets firefighters know the container is a “potential bomb,” said Strand.

The Fire Chiefs Association of B.C. has been working on the issue, said member Don Delcourt.

Attempts to get the fire code changed to recognize that shipping containers are being used as buildings were unsuccessful, leading the association to draft a “model bylaw ” that can be adopted by local governments.