Category Archives: Health & Safety

Health & Safety

Tariff talk a ‘distraction’ in high-hazard industries

By Shane Mercer
Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine
February 10, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada

The looming threat of U.S. president Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods is more than just an economic challenge—it’s a direct threat to workplace safety. Across forestry, mining, manufacturing, and oil and gas, industry leaders warn that uncertainty surrounding these tariffs is creating dangerous distractions for workers in high-hazard environments. The result? Increased mental stress, loss of focus, and a heightened risk of workplace incidents. …Mike Parent, president and CEO of Workplace Safety North, says this distraction isn’t just theoretical—it’s already affecting worker morale. In forestry alone, existing tariffs on softwood lumber are squeezing the industry, and an additional 25% tariff could push operating costs to unsustainable levels. “This could just completely decimate the logging sector,” Parent adds​. …The stress of economic uncertainty doesn’t just cause momentary lapses in concentration—it contributes to long-term mental health challenges. Anxiety, fatigue, and reduced resilience can lead to burnout, increasing the likelihood of accidents.

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Wood Pellet Association of Canada: Making the industry safer for over a decade

By Gordon Murray, Executive Director
Wood Pellet Association of Canada
January 13, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada

I can’t believe it has been over a decade since the Wood Pellet Association of Canada’s (WPAC’s) Safety Committee was established. Our initial focus was combustible dust in response to tragic sawmill explosions in British Columbia. Over the years, activities have expanded to all health and safety matters. The committee’s mission is “to improve the wood pellet industry’s collective safety performance, earn a reputation with regulatory authorities and the public as an industry that is highly effective at managing safety, and learn and share best practices regarding safety.” As we enter 2025, I want to reflect on a few past successes and share our Work Plan for the year. …New to 2025: Along with the continuing safety initiatives listed above, we will review the impacts of previous safety initiatives, take a closer look at mental health and musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) and update winter fibre truck loading/unloading standard operating procedures. The WPAC Safety Committee meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 11 am (PST). Members include the BC Forest Safety Council, the wood pellet and biofuel industry and academic institutions. To read the Work Plan and sign up, please visit pellet.org.

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Decision on the New and Revised B.C. Exposure Limits based on the 2020 ACGIH TLVs for Styrene

WorkSafeBC
January 8, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada

At its November 2024 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors (BOD) approved the adoption of the 2020 new and revised American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Threshold Limit Values (ACGIH TLVs) for styrene. Effective January 8, 2025, styrene will be removed from the Table of Exposure Limits for Excluded Substances in Policy R5.48-1 of the Prevention Manual and the ACGIH TLVs will be assigned as B.C. exposure limits:

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Canada Safety Council Launches a New Online Commercial Driver Training Program

By Canada Safety Council
Cision Newswire
December 3, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada

OTTAWA, ON — The Canada Safety Council (CSC) today announced the launch of the Commercial Driving Fundamentals (CDF) online training program. This innovative transportation safety training offering is designed to enhance the skills, safety, and performance of Class 1/A drivers and prospective drivers across Canada. Building on the foundation of CSC’s Driver for Hire Online Training program … the CDF expansion is designed specifically for commercial drivers, including long-haul truckers, freight transport operators, and specialized cargo handlers. With six core modules in the certificate program and nine additional value-add courses, this interactive and accessible training expands upon existing driver training, and ensures drivers are equipped with the knowledge necessary for safety and success. Funded by the Government ofCanada’s Skills for Success Program, this initiative was developed in partnership with Bluedrop ISM, a leader in training delivery solutions tailored for transportation.

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Health and Safety News from WorkSafeBC

WorkSafe BC
January 23, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Here are some highlights from this months Safety News:

  • New first aid regulations roll out across B.C. The new first aid regulations have significantly changed the way many employers manage their first aid programs. Find out what actions three B.C. employers took to align with the changes that came into effect on November 1.
  • On January 8, OHS Policies and OHS Guidelines were updated to reflect the current exposure limits for styrene.
  • If you’re an employer with employees who drive for work, one way to help keep them safe is to develop and implement a winter driving safety policy and procedures.
  • To expand our services for employers and workers, WorkSafeBC has created a new role of occupational health and safety (OHS) advisor. OHS advisors will assist employers and workers in understanding their requirements under the Workers Compensation Act and the OHS Regulation

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Man dies in workplace incident at Quesnel mill

By Cheryl Chan
Vancouver Sun
January 17, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

A 24-year-old man is dead following a workplace incident at a mill in Quesnel. RCMP said first responders were called to the incident at WestPine fibreboard mill on Carradice Road in the northern area of town at around 10:18 a.m. on Friday. West Fraser, which operates the medium-density fibreboard plant, said an employee from a contracted agency was killed while conducting maintenance work on a piece of equipment at the mill. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the deceased, and our team at WestPine,” said a company spokeswoman in a statement. Police and the company declined to release further details about the incident. West Fraser said it’s co-operating with WorkSafeBC, which has launched an investigation. WorkSafe said the purpose of the investigation is to identify the cause of the incident and any contributing factors to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. [END]

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Forestry company breached worker privacy with dashcams

By Bob Mackin
Prince George Citizen
January 13, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

A division of a forestry and construction company with an office in Prince George lost a review of an arbitrator’s decision that awarded fallers $4,000 each for breach of privacy. At issue was the installation of dash cameras in the company’s four-wheel drive pickups in Campbell River… They began installing the dash cameras in February 2023, prompting the United Steelworkers, Local 1-1937 (USW) to file a grievance. They stated the purpose for the rear-facing dash camera included  “road conditions not seen by the forward-facing camera” and monitoring “distractions in cab – eating, texting, smoking, horseplay.” USW did not take issue with collection of GPS information or video from the forward-facing cameras while the crew bus was in motion. Its grievance was about the audio and video collected by the rear-facing camera and video by the forward-facing camera while the vehicle was idle.

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Nominations are now open for 2025 BC Forest Safety Council Leadership in Safety Awards

BC Forest Safety Council
January 14, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

In 2008, BCFSC introduced the Leadership in Safety Awards, celebrating individual safety achievements in forestry. Award recipients are recognized in three categories including safety in harvesting, manufacturing and lifetime achievement. Nominations for leaders in forestry safety can be an individual, crew, team, division, contractor, company, supplier, consultant, trainer, etc. for outstanding safety leadership or achievements. There are three award categories for Leadership Safety. The Cary White Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to someone who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving safety awareness. The Forest Safety Most Valuable Player recognizes an individual or group that has made a notable contribution to forest industry safety within their operation or company. And finally, the Manufacturing Safety Most Valuable Player recognizes an individual or group that has made a notable contribution to wood products manufacturing safety within their operation or company. Deadline for 2025 nominations is September 23, 2025.

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Two fatal workplace incidents in BC last month

By Shane Mercer
Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine
January 8, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

British Columbia witnessed two tragic workplace fatalities in December 2024, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by workers in high-hazard industries. Both incidents occurred in vastly different settings—one in forestry and the other in agriculture—yet underscore the need for stringent safety protocols across all sectors. …In the Interior region, a routine operation in the forestry sector turned deadly when a log truck driver was fatally injured while attempting to assist a stuck vehicle. According to WorkSafeBC, “a log truck was unable to traverse a section of a resource road and became stuck. A second log truck manoeuvred around the stuck truck and was backing up to prepare to tow it. The driver of the stuck truck was caught between the two trucks and sustained fatal injuries.”…This incident highlights the critical need for enhanced communication and controlled processes during towing operations to avoid such devastating outcomes.

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Celebrating Leadership in Forestry Safety with the 2024 Safety Awards

By Michele Fry
BC Forest Safety Council
January 7, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

The BC Forest Safety Council celebrated Leadership in Forestry Safety with the 2024 Leadership in Safety Awards at the Vancouver Island Safety Conference on Saturday, October 26th. The 2024 Leadership in Safety Awards were presented by BCFSC’s CEO, Rob Moonen. These awards honour the exceptional contributions to safety in the forestry industry and recognize individuals, crews, and companies that have made significant strides in workplace safety, reinforcing the goal of ensuring every worker returns home safely. This year, three outstanding individuals were celebrated: Bill Bolton, former Falling Manager and senior advisor for the BCFSC received the 2024 Cary White Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award for his unwavering advocacy for faller safety. …Toby Jeffreys, Area Supervisor at Interfor’s Adams Lake Division, was awarded the Forest Safety MVP Award. And Chris Fowler, Safety Coordinator at Canoe Forest Products (CFP), a division of the Gorman Group, received the MVP Award for Wood Products Manufacturing.

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Mercer Peace River reaches safety milestone

By Richard Froese
The South Peace News
December 31, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Mercer Peace River Pulp is thrilled to announce it has reached a remarkable safety milestone. The company achieved a 12-month Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) on Nov. 30, states a Mercer news release. It is a key metric that measures the frequency of workplace recordable injuries that require medical attention beyond first-aid. A lower TRIR indicates a safer workplace. Managing director Roger Ashfield says all staff has contributed the milestone. …The Mission ZERO safety program was introduced two years ago. At that time, MPR’s TRIR was 7.18. Through the program, Mercer set a goal of zero harm to its workers and to ensure everyone was injury-free on the job. …Several factors have contributed to the company’s success in achieving the milestone. Mercer leadership team has consistently championed safety as a core value. …Mercer transferred its focus from lagging indicators to leading indicators.

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Towing effort during icy conditions turns fatal Monday near Logan Lake

RADIO NL 610
December 19, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

While details are minimal to this point, the BC Forest Safety Council is reporting a logging truck driver was killed outside of Logan Lake sometime Monday. According to the Safety Council’s bulletin issued Wednesday, the person was killed December 16th while attempting to “tow a log truck that had spun out on an icy road.” The details on a specific location, as well as the circumstances surrounding the person’s death, have not been detailed. …A separate bulletin issued by the BC Forest Safety Council this week also highlights the dangers that forestry workers face while on the front-lines of felling operations. It points to two separate, non-fatal incidents involving heavy machinery being used in different operations in the Southern Interior this fall, including one near Scotch Creek in the Shuswap. Both involve harvesting in steep-sloped areas.

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Study links wildfire smoke and dementia risk. What does it mean for the North?

By Talar Stockton
Yukon News
December 19, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Wildfire smoke in the air has become a signature of summer in the North. While rarely welcome, smoky days are growing less rare every year as climate change continues to create the ideal conditions for wildfires – and wildfire smoke. It’s common knowledge that wildfire smoke can cause a range of short-term health issues, like headaches and a runny nose. However, like other forms of pollution, wildfire smoke can have long-term effects – like dementia, as a recent study has found. The Yukon health authorities don’t feel the need to wait for research specific to the territory before recommending action. Researchers showed wildfire smoke was associated with an increase in risk of dementia diagnosis – especially for marginalized people. While the study population was located in California, health officials in the Yukon and Northwest Territories say there are things to be done to mitigate the health effects of smoke here, too.  

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Logging truck driver killed in incident near Logan Lake, forestry safety council says

BC Forest Safety Council
December 16, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

On December 16th, a log truck driver was fatally injured during an attempt to tow a log truck that had spun out on an icy road. This incident occurred in an area near Logan Lake, BC. WorkSafeBC and the Coroners Service are investigating this incident. We extend our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and our sympathies to all those affected by this incident. This is the second harvesting fatality of 2024… We extend our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and our sympathies to all those affected by this incident.

Additional coverage in Castanet by Kristen Holliday: Logging truck driver killed in incident near Logan Lake, forestry safety council says

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Board of Directors approves amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation

By Lori Guiton, Director, Policy, Regulation and Research Department
WorkSafeBC
December 19, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

At its November 2024 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. These amendments will become effective on March 31, 2025. Strikethrough versions of the amendments with explanatory notes can be accessed below. Deletions in the regulatory amendments are identified with a strikethrough and additions are in bold text and highlighted in yellow.

The above amendments were posted online for feedback during the public hearing process. Stakeholder feedback received is available for review.

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Amendments to Part 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation

WorkSafeBC
December 17, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

At its May 2024 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments pertaining to Emergency Planning in Part 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. These amendments will come into effect on February 3, 2025. Part 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation sets out the requirements for emergency planning relating to hazardous substances. On February 3, 2025, amendments to these requirements will come into effect, to provide additional clarity and to further reduce risk to workers and other people posed by emergencies involving hazardous substances. This resource provides an overview of the changes to help affected employers prepare for the new requirements. OHS Guidelines are also being developed to provide additional support for employers; these guidelines will be available on February 3.

For the full text of the Regulation amendments, see the Board of Directors decision document

Backgrounder: Emergency procedures for hazardous substances

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City urges residents to prevent Christmas house fires

By Radha Agarwal
The Northern View
December 11, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

As the holiday season shifts into high gear, lights adorn people’s homes and ornamented Christmas trees can be seen through windows. “This season always comes with higher risk of house fires, due to the common use of space heaters, potential overloading of circuits, and flammability of decorations,” said the City of Prince Rupert on Facebook. Between 2010 and 2020, the Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) recorded 113 Christmas-related fires in B.C., which led to 15 injuries, four deaths and more than $14.5 million in damage. OFC emphasized the importance of keeping Christmas trees well-watered to prevent them from becoming a fire hazard. The National Fire Protection Association shared a video of a dried Christmas tree that burned entirely in less than a minute, while a watered one ignited slowly.

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Mosaic’s Season of Giving Focuses on Food for Islanders Amidst Increasing Need

Mosaic Forest Management
December 3, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

2024 campaign shares $51,000 with Island schools and community nutrition programs. It’s an astonishing statistic indicative of trying times felt across Vancouver Island and Coastal BC. Nanaimo’s Loaves and Fishes food bank, a recipient of Mosaic’s Season of Giving campaign, is reporting the number of people accessing their services has increased by a staggering 94% compared to 2020. “In order to keep up with the need, we need to source over 400,000 pounds of food per month, and the majority of the food we provide to individuals is fresh foods,” said Abby Sauchuk, Director of Development at the Loaves and Fishes food bank. …Now in its fifth year, Season of Giving has shared over $200,000 since its start. One of Mosaic’s signature community initiatives, Season of Giving continues to have one important goal— to help those doing the important work of providing nutritious food to those who need it.

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WorkSafeBC now accepting expressions of interest from training providers

WorkSafeBC
December 3, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

From December 2, 2024, to February 28, 2025, WorkSafeBC is accepting expressions of interest from providers seeking to offer training that requires approval by WorkSafeBC. We are now accepting expressions of interest for the following training:

  • Asbestos abatement
  • Electrical safety: Working up to the adjusted limits of approach to energized conductors
  • Electrofishing
  • Forestry operations firefighting
  • Traffic control
  • Workplace first aid

Visit our Course review page for information on applying to offer training in these areas.

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New Brunswick Premier ready to ban glyphosate if link found to mystery brain illness

By Jacques Poitras
CBC News
December 23, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada East

Susan Holt

Premier Susan Holt says her government would be willing to ban the herbicide glyphosate if a new investigation finds a link to the purported mystery brain illness that a Moncton neurologist says he is tracking. The province has launched a new investigation into the hundreds of cases, saying the symptoms have sparked fear among many New Brunswickers that needs to be addressed. …If a link is found, “then we need to eliminate that exposure for New Brunswickers,” Holt said in a year-end interview with CBC News. But Holt emphasized the idea was hypothetical because “we don’t have good science to tell us that that is what’s making New Brunswickers sick.” Glyphosate is used in agriculture and in industrial forestry operations. Major logging companies use it to thin some forms of forest vegetation near the ground so young trees get more sun and rain and have a better chance to grow.

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Taming the wild: Navigating Ontario’s forest roads

By Shane Mercer
Canadian Occupational Safety
December 12, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada East

Driving through Ontario’s forest roads is no ordinary journey. These rugged routes, designed for industrial forestry, challenge even seasoned drivers with loose gravel, sharp curves, and wildlife lurking at every turn. Chris Serratore, director of health and safety services at Workplace Safety North, says preparation and caution are critical for anyone venturing into these remote areas. “Forest roads are not as dangerous as one might think if you have the training and experience to handle them,” Serratore explains. “The real risks arise when people aren’t prepared or underestimate the unique conditions these roads present.”… “Basic driver training is a good starting point,” he says. “But pairing that with job-shadowing is even better. An experienced driver can guide a new driver through the hazards, from washouts to tricky three-point turns on soft shoulders.”

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Government of Canada provides disaster recovery funding to Nova Scotia for wildfires, flooding and storm Dorian

By Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
Cision Newswire
December 12, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada East

OTTAWA, ON – In 2023, Nova Scotia experienced one of its worst wildfire seasons, leading to extensive damage to residences, small businesses, farms, municipalities, and provincial sites, and the evacuation of more than 16,000 people. Just over a month later, the province experienced extreme rainfall that led to the worst flooding the province has experienced in 50 years. This follows the significant damage to public and private infrastructure and prolonged power outages caused by storm Dorian across the province in 2019. The Government of Canada, announced payments of almost $67 million to Nova Scotia through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program, to assist with response and recovery costs associated with the wildfires in 2023, the extreme rainfall and flooding in summer 2023, and storm Dorian in 2019.

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Wild weather and wildlife: Surviving Ontario’s forest roads

Workplace Safety North
December 10, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada East

Driving on forest roads is not like driving on the highway. Ontario’s forest roads are rugged unpredictable. These roads are rough, with sharp turns, wildlife, and large trucks. They often don’t have emergency services or cell phone coverage and have different challenges to regular highways. “Every year there are severe and fatal accidents on Ontario’s forest roads,” says Chris Serratore, Health and Safety Services Director at Workplace Safety North (WSN), “and due to remote northern Ontario bush locations, it can take hours for help to arrive.” In 2020, Ontario reported 15 snowmobile-related deaths and 168 injuries both on and off highway. …To stay safe, drivers and recreational users need to slow down, stay alert, and be ready for unexpected hazards. “WSN has been asked by northern forest companies to help raise awareness with the public who often use these roads for recreation. Whether you’re working or exploring, being prepared and driving cautiously can save lives.”

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New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

By María Paula Rubiano
Environmental Health News
January 24, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

A team from the University of Southern California, found that between 2009 and 2021, wildfire retardant application in the U.S. released at least 380,000 kg (more than 400 tons) of at least four toxic metals into the environment. Toxic metals — like cadmium, chromium and vanadium — accumulate in ecosystems and organisms and are linked to organ damage, cancer and neurological disorders. “The heavy metals report from has been a catalyst. It has created internal discussions about using these retardants,” said Andy Stahl, the executive director of the nonprofit watchdog group Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, who was not involved with the study. …“The challenge for the Forest Service is they’ve done such a good job marketing this magic red elixir, that it’s hard for them to back away and say, ‘oh, it turns out that the stuff we’ve been pouring all over your forests and your backyards and your residential areas is actually poisonous,’” Stahl said.

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Los Angeles wildfires: The unique dangers of urban wildfire smoke

By Katie Dangerfield
Global News
January 10, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

As wildfires rage across Los Angeles, the smoke billowing into the air carries more than the expected risks of particulate matter and carbon emissions. Urban wildfires, unlike those in remote forests, burn through large areas of neighbourhoods filled with synthetic materials like plastics, rubber, fiberglass and treated asphalt, releasing a cocktail of hazardous chemicals into the air. “Wildfire smoke when it’s purely burning biomass is bad enough. But when there are large fires in the wild and urban interface, then you get all these kinds of smoke and toxins that are from structural fires,” said John Balmes, at the University of California, San Francisco. “It’s much more toxic. The combination of burning biomass and structural fire smoke… like the Palisades fire, that is blocks and blocks of homes, that is particularly toxic smoke,” he added. …Here’s what to know about the risks of wildfire smoke when fires hit cities.

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US Environmental Protection Agency Finalizes Formaldehyde Risk Evaluation

The Decorative Hardwoods Association
January 8, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

On January 2, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the formaldehyde risk evaluation. EPA stated that formaldehyde presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health under its conditions of use. EPA did not identify risk to the general population from wood products regulated under TSCA Title VI. However, EPA’s conclusions about occupational exposure to formaldehyde remain problematic. The preliminary risk evaluation set 11 parts per billion as an unreasonable risk level. EPA’s new evaluation changed the levels to 110 and 170 ppb. [Here 

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The list of wildfire smoke’s long-term health risks continues to grow

By Kylie Mohr
The High Country News
January 9, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

The more researchers learn about wildfire smoke, the more worrisome the picture gets. Smoke contains microscopic particles known as PM 2.5 because the PM (particulate matter) measures 2.5 microns or less — small enough to easily wiggle its way into our lungs and then into our bloodstreams. Researchers have already connected the particulate matter in wildfire smoke to a higher risk of strokes, heart disease, respiratory disease, lung cancer and other serious conditions. And the harmful effects don’t stop there. 2024 was a banner year for research on wildfire smoke and its impact on health, from brain functioning to fertility. While there’s still a lot more to learn, wildfire smoke is thought to be especially insidious compared to other sources of air pollution; its smaller particle size, intermittent spikes and higher concentration of inflammatory compounds make it more dangerous. This year’s new findings are disturbing. …New estimates predict 125 million Americans will face unhealthy air from wildfires by 2054.

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US On-the-job deaths fall nearly 4% in 2023

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics
December 19, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

WASHINGTON — A total of 5,283 workers died from on-the-job injuries in 2023 – a 3.7% decrease from 2022, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data released Dec. 19 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows. The overall rate of fatal workplace injuries also fell slightly, to 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers from 3.7 the previous year. Transportation incidents remained the leading cause of fatal work-related injuries, contributing to 1,942 fatalities and accounting for 36.8% of the deaths. Slip, trip and fall events resulted in 885 deaths, and exposure to harmful substances and environments led to 820. The National Safety Council said, “These data provided by BLS make it clear more education and resources, such as policies and training, are needed to keep people safe on the job. The data release is the second of two annual BLS reports. The first, released Nov. 8, analyzes nonfatal injuries and illnesses among workers in the private sector.

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Winston man dies in fatal Douglas County logging accident

By Ryan Bonham
KEZI News 9 Oregon
January 17, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

AZALEA, Ore. – Douglas County law enforcement and emergency personnel responded to a logging accident in which a 49-year-old Winston man died at the scene on Thursday afternoon, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. DCSO officials said that 911 dispatchers received a report at about 3:19 p.m. on January 16 of an accident at a logging site with a seriously-injured victim. Responding sheriff’s deputies and emergency responders located the victim in the 15000 block of Upper Cow Creek Road in Azalea, authorities said. Douglas County sheriff’s officials said that emergency personnel administered life-saving measures but the victim, identified as Justin Godel, was declared deceased at the scene.

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What Makes Urban Wildfire Smoke So Toxic

By Allison Parshall
Scientific American
January 13, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

Firefighters in southern California are battling the Palisades and Eaton Fires. …Residents of many fire-prone areas have grown familiar with the orange, apocalyptic haze of wildfire smoke as these blazes have become more common because of climate change. Such smoke can contain an unpredictable cocktail of chemicals associated with heart and lung diseases and even cancer, which is the leading cause of death among firefighters. Here’s what makes wildfire smoke so dangerous. When trees, shrubbery and other organic matter burn, they release carbon dioxide, water, heat—and, depending on the available fuel, various volatile compounds, gaseous pollutants and particulate matter. Those tiny particles, which become suspended in the air, can include soot (black carbon), metals, dust, and more. If they’re smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, they can evade our body’s natural defenses when inhaled, penetrating deep into the lungs and triggering a wide variety of health problems.

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Is the Pink Fire Retardant That Planes Are Dropping on the California Fires Safe?

By Hiroko Tabuchi
Business and America
January 14, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

From above the raging flames, these planes can unleash immense tankfuls of bright pink fire retardant in just 20 seconds. They have long been considered vital in the battle against wildfires. But emerging research has shown that the millions of gallons of retardant sprayed on the landscape to tame wildfires each year come with a toxic burden, because they contain heavy metals and other chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment. The toxicity presents a stark dilemma. These tankers and their cargo are a powerful tool for taming deadly blazes. Yet as wildfires intensify and become more frequent in an era of climate change, firefighters are using them more often, and in the process releasing more harmful chemicals into the environment.

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Lawsuit claims Southern Oregon forestry companies failing foreign workers

By Justin Higginbottom
OPB News
December 2, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

A lawsuit filed earlier this month by former forestry worker Joaquin Barraza-Cortes seeks over $42 million in damages from Ponderosa Reforestation, Ponderosa Timberland and Pine West Reforestation. The complaint accuses those Rogue Valley forestry companies, which hire foreign workers through the H-2B visa program, of a litany of safety violations including not providing proper training and protective equipment. In 2022, Barraza-Cortes was hired as a foreign seasonal worker for tree thinning work within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. While using a chainsaw, without formal training according to the lawsuit, he was severely injured by a falling tree limb, resulting in a spinal cord injury. The complaint claims that Barraza-Cortes has since been unable to work or care for himself. Barraza-Cortes’ former employer, Ponderosa Timberland, declined to comment on the lawsuit.

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Wildfire smoke increases risk of dementia, UW study finds

By Conrad Swanson
The Seattle Times in the Spokesman-Review
November 27, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

SEATTLE – The wildfire smoke that blankets much of the American West each summer is likely more harmful than previously understood, especially to older people, scientists found. Research announced this week, and led by scientists at the University of Washington, discovered that prolonged exposure to the ultrafine particles in wildfire smoke heightens the risk of dementia for those 60 and older. …Joan Casey, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of Washington said, not only are older people at risk with the increasing exposure to wildfire smoke, but so too are those who can’t access air quality warnings, afford filtration or avoid outdoor exposure throughout the fire season. Casey partnered with scientists from the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, the University of California in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. …Dementia isn’t the only risk associated with wildfire smoke. Those with prolonged exposure could also suffer from respiratory or cardiovascular problems.

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Logging is the Deadliest Job, but Still an Oregon Way of Life

By Kurtis Lee
The New York Times
November 22, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

In southwestern Oregon… the logging industry has shaped and sustained families here for generations. A lack of other well-paying jobs in rural parts of the state have made logging one of the most promising career paths. It also comes with grave risk. Mostly employed in densely forested pockets of the Pacific Northwest and the South, loggers have the highest rate of fatal on-the-job injuries of any civilian occupation in the nation, outpacing roofers, hunters and underground mining machine operators. About 100 of every 100,000 logging workers die from work injuries, compared with four per 100,000 for all workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “There is a mix of physical factors — heavy equipment and, of course, the massive trees,” said Marissa Baker, a professor of occupational health at the University of Washington. “Couple that with steep terrain and unforgiving weather and the rural aspect of the work, and it leads to great danger.” [to access the full story a NY Times subscription is required]

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Smells like Sulfur? Malfunction at closed paper mill causes odor

By E. Louise Kelly
ABC News 15
February 4, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — According to Mayor Carol Jayroe, the International Paper Company released a statement Tuesday detailing a malfunction which caused an odor throughout the city. “A process malfunction, caused by freezing temperatures, resulted in an acute odor that was detected near the mill in Georgetown. The recent freezing temperatures caused equipment disruptions in a piping system for pulping condensate (a liquid byproduct of the pulping process),” International Paper Company officials said. Operators repressurized the system resulting in a “limited amount” of condensate to be excreted. …Both the city and the International Paper company have said there are no current threats to public safety.

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West Fraser’s Commitment to Safety Saves a Life

National Safety Council | Southeastern Chapter
November 19, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

For employees at West Fraser, a local mill in Joanna, SC, safety isn’t just a corporate mandate; it’s a way of life. This dedication to safety was put to the test one workday when Marty Scott suddenly collapsed due to a cardiac event. Thanks to the swift, skilled response of three trained coworkers and an on-site Automated External Defibrillator (AED), what could have been a heartbreaking tragedy became a life-saving success story. “It was just a normal day,” Marty recalls. “I grabbed my hard hat and started work. The next thing I knew, I heard someone calling my name, and then… nothing. When I woke up, the paramedic was asking if I could stand up and get on the stretcher.” …Today, Marty’s story serves as a testament to the strength of West Fraser’s safety culture. The lives of his coworkers are also forever changed, having experienced the impact of their actions firsthand. “It’s one thing to go through training,” one of them said. “But when you’re in the moment, and you see it work, you realize just how powerful those skills are. I’ll never forget it.”

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A Maine factory is selling a new product to get per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances out of crops

By Lori Valigra
Bangor Daily News in Piscataquis Observer
November 26, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

Biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from heated organic biomass such as forest and agricultural waste, is the subject of several research studies now underway on Maine farms. When added to tainted soil, it is showing promise in reducing the uptake of forever chemicals in crops, researchers said. It can store water that it then releases during droughts. And it can increase nutrient retention in soil and boost carbon sequestration, according to the American Farmland Trust. If the current research tackling those huge challenges to the food supply bear fruit, the market for biochar could boom. And Maine is getting ready for that. In October, the second biochar producer in the state started commercial production. …Standard Biocarbon’s factory in Enfield, in Penobscot County, claims to produce organic biochar that is clean, so it doesn’t further pollute farm fields already contaminated by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, he said.

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Too Much Screen Time Is Rewiring Kids’ Brains. Can Forest Schools Fix It?

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
January 31, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: International

…Endless hours in front of devices are quietly rewriting the blueprint of childhood, reshaping the way that young people think, interact, develop, and experience the world. Young people today spend between 5 and 9 hours staring at screens, but less than 10 minutes a day enjoying time playing in nature. The result? Rising rates of anxiety, body image dissatisfaction, reduced attention spans, waning creativity, and sleepless nights. Brain scans show kids glued to screens experience premature thinning in the prefrontal cortex—the brain’s control centre for impulse control, attention, emotional regulation, and decision-making. …But there is a solution… The antidote is far simpler than reducing screen time. It’s the original technology: nature. …One movement helping to lead this reconnection is the forest school. Forest schools are built on a simple but radical idea: the best classroom doesn’t have walls. Here, nature is a teacher.

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MDF factory faces huge fines after workers seriously injured in accidents

STV
January 15, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: International

A company that runs a Scottish chipboard factory is facing huge fines after admitting its safety failings led to two separate industrial accidents that caused serious injuries to two workers within six months. West Fraser (Europe) Ltd, formerly known as Norbord, pleaded guilty to multiple breaches of health and safety at its plant in Cowie, Stirlingshire. A 29-year-old utility operator suffered serious injuries and permanent impairment after his leg became entangled in moving parts at the bottom of a storage bunker in January 2020. A 39-year-old scaffolder plunged more than 13 feet to the ground after a rusty plate gave way on a rooftop gantry in July the same year. The factory, a major employer in the Falkirk, Stirling and Alloa areas for over 50 years, was originally known as Caberboard. …It is now in Canadian ownership. …Sheriff Keith O’Mahony deferred sentence until January 24 to determine the level of fine in the present case.

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Dire warning over wood-burning stoves in new health report

By Neil Shaw
Leicestershire Live
December 6, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: International

Wood burning stoves are now the UK’s biggest source of toxic particles in air pollution and could be giving you cancer, according to a new report. A third of all PM2.5 emissions now come from log and coal-burning fires in homes. PM2.5 particles are too small to be filtered out and studies suggest they enter the bloodstream and have been linked to serious heart disease and lung cancer. One analysis of 17 studies found breathing in PM2.5 particles increases the risk of dying from lung cancer by 11 per cent. One US study found using a wood-burning stove indoors increase the chance of women developing lung cancer by 43 per cent. Another US study found people who use their wood burner for more than 30 days a year increase their lung cancer risk 68 per cent.

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