In British Columbia the 2004 Final Report of the Forest Safety Task Force laid out an action plan to eliminate deaths and serious injuries in the province’s forests. The WSCA took immediate action byhelping found the BC Forest Safety Council and subsequently establish the sector’s own BC SAFE Silviculture Program. That program has led in setting competency standards and delivering industry training, sponsoring workplace safety research, and advancing cultural change in the silviculture sector across Western Canada. The sector’s ongoing work on improving its safety performance builds in part on using a human factors-based approach including appreciative inquiry and other innovative processes.
BC SAFE Forestry Advocate Weather Alert for June 24, 2022
After one of the coldest and wettest spring seasons in history, the BC planting season is facing an abrupt and drastic shift back toward hot dry weather, and a return to the various health and safety challenges that come with it. Environment Canada has issued nearly province-wide special weather statements warning of hot and stormy … Read more
Hazards of Heating Tents
Dear Colleagues: This incident was reported by WorkSafeBC here. Injury: Suspected carbon monoxide poisoning (1 worker) Industry: Forestry Core Activity: Tree planting or cone picking Location: Northern B.C. Date of Incident: 2022-May A worker was found unresponsive in their tent after using a wood-burning stove as a heating source inside the tent. The worker was … Read more
BC SAFE Forestry Advocate Field Observations re: COVID and Planting Crews This Spring
The tree planting sector was highly successful in minimizing COVID cases through 2020 and 2021. However, in early 2022, the highly infectious (but fortunately milder) Omicron variants are making their way into camps and crews, showing that there are limits to even the best preventive systems. Multiple companies have reported COVID cases, ranging from isolated … Read more
WFCA Rumour Mill RoundUpDate Volume 21 Issue 9
Western Forestry Contractors’ Association Rumour Mill RoundUpDate 25 June 2021 Volume 21 Issue 9 Warning: Due to the ongoing disruption of world-wide supply chains some facts contained in this issue may be missing parts. Heat Warning Issued for Forestry Workers as Temperatures Rise As temperatures rise so does the risk of heat stroke: best to decrease … Read more
Heat Alert (06/25/2021)
BC SAFE Forestry Bulletin: Showing Up Healthy to Plant (03/30/2021)
Planters are now preparing to travel within the next few weeks for the spring planting season in B.C. and Alberta. Last year the most critical factor in our success was having workers arrive healthy. We need to repeat that in 2021. Here are the best practices to follow. 29 March 2021: Many workers are now … Read more
Industrial Camps Order – Silviculture Briefing Document (7/17/2020)
On July 2nd, the Provincial Health Office released the following bulletin related to practices for industrial camps, including remote silviculture operations in both motels and bush camps. The new order is based on the province moving into Phase 3 of their COVID-19 management plan, and the wider opening of businesses and public activity this summer. … Read more
Bulletin: Continuation of Silviculture Operations During Covid-19 (6/26/20)
Since the beginning of May, the silviculture sector has been operating under communicable disease prevention guidelines issued by the Provincial Health Office (PHO of British Columbia. Although conditions have continued to improve, COVID-19 remains a threat to public health, and there is still no viable treatment or vaccine available. Public activity is now entering Phase-3 … Read more
Covid-19 Public Health Order and Guidline (24/04/2020)
WFCA Rumour Mill RoundUpDate Volume 20 Issue 3
Western Forestry Contractors’ Association Rumor Mill RoundUpDate 13 March, 2020 Volume 20 Issue 3 Warning: All the facts contained in this publication remain resolute and calm in the face of certain adversities as we keep our hands clean and our humour dry. Tree Planting Underway with Hand-Cleaning, Self-Screening, and Good Sleep Although today’s pandemic may … Read more