Tragedy struck the Krsek family on Aug. 1, 2009, when a wind gust blew metal roofing material off an 18-story building under construction in Calgary, Alberta. The projectile killed 3-year-old Michelle Kresk, who was on the sidewalk with her family.
The event “was a wake-up call for the construction industry,” and the city decided to take action to increase public safety near construction sites, says Cliff de Jong, coordinator of issues management in Calgary’s Dept. of Planning & Development.