It was the highest of highs, followed by a sudden crash back to Earth for a group of ironworkers, who are facing discipline after posing for a photo on a beam 69 floors above Edmonton.
The photo show workers in harnesses on steel beams at the top of the Stantec Tower, which will be tallest skyscraper in western Canada at around 825 feet or 251 metres.
"There's nothing like being up there, walking around,” Justin Pytel, one of the ironworkers who was up at the top, told CTV Edmonton earlier this week. “It's just you and the sky."
Pytel said that the photos were taken as the crew all came together to celebrate topping the building. They were trying to emulate the famous photo of ironworkers sitting on a beam in New York.
Building Trades Alberta posted the photos to Facebook on behalf of Iron Workers Union Local 720, and the images quickly circulated online.
Less than 24 hours after the photos were posted, some of the workers employed by subcontractor North American Steel Erectors were not allowed on the work site.
Sources told CTV Edmonton that some of the workers have been suspended and one was fired.
North American Steel Erectors declined to respond to a request for comment from CTV Edmonton.
A source familiar with the situation told CTV Edmonton that the occurrence is being categorized as a “safety incident,” while another source says that the publication of the photos violated a social media policy.
Regardless, the sources say that the suspensions will be short lived, and the ironworkers are expected to be allowed to return to work next week.
Alberta Occupational Health and Safety said they aware of the photos but have not received any complaints about the incident.
With a report from CTV Edmonton’s Dan Grummett
