Serious silviculture workplace incidents and medical emergencies that occur on remote settings in B.C. have been the focus of a recent BC SAFE Silviculture Program research project. The subsequent draft report Report on Matters Related to Remote Worksite Emergency Response in the B.C. Silviculture Sector addresses the concern of how well prepared silviculture operators may be to deal with the actual consequences of a serious injury in a remote setting. The report’s findings indicate the regulatory framework provides insufficient guidance as to what an acceptable level of preparation looks like in practice. It also addresses the evidence that many firms may be over-relying on the 9-1-1 system in their emergency planning.
This report will be the focus of a forum discussion at the upcoming WSCA annual conference in Kelowna next week. The authors of the report intend that its recommendations will lead to improvements in the regulatory guidelines and practices that silviculture contractors must apply to emergency response planning. It is generally held that there is room for improvement in the field to ensure workers do not suffer more severe consequences due to a serious injury in a remote setting.
We look forward to your attendance at the conference to continue the conversation and provide direction on this critical topic. We also appreciate any written comments you might be willing to provide including your own advice, narratives, and concerns around the best way to keep workers from harm on remote sites in the silviculture sector.
Best wishes.
John Betts
Executive Director
Western Silvicultural Contractors’ Assoc.
Office: 250-229-4380
Cell: 250-354-8922