Category Archives: Health & Safety

Health & Safety

Wildfire Smoke Can Hurt Your Brain

By Bhavini Gohel and Muskaan Muse Laroyia
The Tyee
June 17, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada

Wildfires are already burning in parts of Canada, and as they do, many communities are already facing the familiar thick haze as smoke drifts in. Smoke from wildfires has already led Environment Canada to issue air quality warnings for much of Ontario. In Toronto, smoke led to the city briefly having the worst air quality in the world. Anyone who has experienced wildfire smoke knows how it can leave you with a scratchy throat, stinging eyes and impact your lungs. However, smoke can also affect your brain. Tiny airborne pollutants found in smoke have been linked to increased risk of stroke, dementia and flare-ups in neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis, or MS. These effects can disproportionately impact older adults, people with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and those living in low-income communities. This isn’t just about climate. It’s about equity, and health systems need to catch up.

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The smoke from Canada’s wildfires may be even more toxic than usual

By Matt Simon
Grist
June 5, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada

More than 200 wildfires are blazing across central and western Canada, half of which are out of control… “But increasingly we’re also concerned about the smoke,” said Mike Waddington, an environmental scientist at McMaster University in Ontario. That’s because [of] where these blazes are burning in Canada. The country’s forests have long been mined, operations that loaded soils and waterways with toxic metals like lead and mercury, especially before clean-air standards kicked in 50 years ago. Now everyone downwind of these wildfires may have to contend with that legacy and those pollutants, in addition to all the other nasties inherent in wildfire smoke, which are known to exacerbate respiratory and cardiac problems. …But an area of particular concern is around the mining city of Flin Flon, in Manitoba, which is known to have elevated levels of toxic metals in the landscape, said Colin McCarter, an environmental scientist who studies pollutants at Ontario’s Nipissing University.

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Canada wildfires smoke turns UK skies orange

By Matt Taylor
BBC News
June 8, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, International

The sun and sky had a much more eerie appearance to it on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. It was a sign that smoke from wildfires burning more than 4,000 miles (6,400km) away in central Canada had made it across the Atlantic to sit in the skies over the UK. BBC WeatherWatchers from all corners of the country were out capturing the spectacle. …The change in the appearance of the sun and sky is due to smoke particles in the atmosphere scattering the blue wavelengths of light more, allowing predominantly orange and red hues to reach our eyes. …The presence of wildfire smoke from North America over the UK, whilst not common, does occasionally happen during the summer months. …Here in the UK, the smoke plume is at too high an altitude to affect our air quality.

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American and Canadian Lung Associations Again Join Forces to Reduce the Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke

By Canadian Lung Association
Cision Newswire
June 3, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, United States

CHICAGO and OTTAWA, ON – As devastating wildfires continue to increase throughout North America, the American and Canadian Lung Associations are collaborating for a second year to raise awareness about the health risks associated with wildfire smoke, educate people on how to protect themselves, and promote strategies to mitigate the occurrence of catastrophic wildfires. …To protect residents in both countries from the harmful health impacts of wildfires, the American Lung Association and the Canadian Lung Association are once again working together, concentrating their efforts on three key areas: awareness, education and advocacy.

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Smoke from Canadian wildfires triggers air quality alerts in Midwest and Plains

By Aria Bendix
NBC News
June 1, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, United States

Smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to blanket parts of the Midwest and Great Plains, leading to air quality alerts across several states. More than 90 fires scattered across Canada are burning out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, a nonprofit that supports the government’s wildfire response. Active fires in the central Canadian province of Manitoba have forced roughly 17,000 people to evacuate. Winds high in the atmosphere pushed that smoke into the Upper Midwest on Friday, and the plumes continued to travel southeast over the weekend, reaching as far as the Georgia-Florida border. Some U.S. states may experience poor air quality through Monday, meaning sensitive groups such as pregnant people, newborns, older adults or those with respiratory or heart problems should limit their time outdoors. People in the affected areas may notice a campfire smell and hazy skies, as well as colorful sunrises and sunsets.

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Thousands evacuated in 3 provinces as Canadian wildfires threaten air quality into some US states

By Julie Walker
The Associated Press
June 1, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, United States

FLIN FLON, Manitoba — More than 25,000 residents in three provinces have been evacuated as dozens of wildfires remained active Sunday and diminished air quality in parts of Canada and the US, according to officials. Most of the evacuated residents were from Manitoba, which declared a state of emergency last week. About 17,000 people there were evacuated by Saturday along with 1,300 in Alberta. About 8,000 people in Saskatchewan had been relocated as leaders there warned the number could climb. Smoke was worsening air quality and reducing visibility in Canada and into some US states along the border. “Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour,” Saskatchewan’s Public Safety Agency warned Sunday. “As smoke levels increase, health risks increase.” …In some parts of the U.S., air quality reached “unhealthy” levels Sunday in North Dakota and small swaths of Montana, Minnesota and South Dakota.

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Wood Pellet Association of Canada’s May Safety Hero: Brian Fluter, Electrician at Drax High Level

By Gordon Murray
The Wood Pellet Association of Canada
May 13, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada

Brian Fluter

Congratulations to Brian Fluter, Electrician at Drax High Level in Alberta, the latest Wood Pellet Association of Canada Safety Hero. Brian always strives to ensure the workplace is safe for his colleagues. Since Brian joined the Drax High Level team in 2021, he has consistently demonstrated his safety leadership qualities by setting a strong example. He is a part of the Joint Health and Safety Committee, where his voice as a veteran employee is respected and heard. “Brian has trained over 300 employees within Drax North American sites through his utilization of the Train the Trainer program for Arc Flash Awareness NFPA 70e,” says Blake Hoskins, Plant Manager, Drax High Level, who nominated Brian. “That’s 98 per cent of North American employees!

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Safe Phase Integration: Preventing Congestion in Forestry Operations

By Alexandra Skinner
The Truck LoggerBC Magazine
July 3, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Overlapping work activities are one of forestry’s most complex safety challenges; without proper controls, phase congestion can pose serious hazards to workers. However, with proper management, forestry operations can achieve safe, efficient phase integration. “Preventing injuries and fatalities takes ongoing commitment to coordinated planning, qualified supervision, worker training, and clear communication, says Tom Pawloski, manager of prevention programs and services at WorkSafeBC. Phase congestion occurs when multiple harvesting phases overlap in the same or nearby area, often due to insufficient time or distance between phases. It often builds gradually and can go unnoticed until a serious incident occurs. …When phases aren’t properly coordinated, workers face greater risks of being struck by or caught between equipment or missing other hazards. …Safe phase integration begins before work starts. …”Phase congestion doesn’t always show up right away … staying proactive, adjusting plans as conditions change, and maintaining clear communication is essential to keeping workers safe,” Pawlowski says.

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Brink Forest Products fined over $129,000 for worker injury

By Jim Wilson
The Safety Magazine
June 27, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

PRINCE GEORGE, BC — Brink Forest Products, a British Columbia-based employer, has been fined $129,665.50 after a worker sustained serious injuries on the job. The incident occurred at the company’s wood products manufacturing facility in Prince George, according to WorkSafeBC. A worker was seriously injured while clearing a jam of wooden blocks in the waste conveyor system of a trimmer machine. Following the incident, WorkSafeBC conducted a workplace inspection. The agency found that Brink Forest Products “failed to ensure that energy sources were isolated and effectively controlled if the unexpected energization of machinery or release of an energy source could cause injury—a repeated violation.” “The firm also failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety,” WorkSafeBC added. Both findings were classified as high-risk violations.

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B.C. Wildfire Service firefighter injured by falling tree at chainsaw training site

By Ian Holliday
CTV News
June 24, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

A firefighter with the B.C. Wildfire Service was injured by a tree strike in Merritt, B.C., earlier this month, according to officials. WorkSafeBC included the incident in a roundup of recent workplace injuries and close calls published on its website Monday. The agency described the incident as causing “multiple injuries” to one worker. “A group of workers were conducting basic chainsaw training at a field site when a suspected dangerous tree (65 cm in diameter, 27 m tall), previously assessed as a safe tree for the work activity, unexpectedly fell,” WorkSafe’s summary of the incident reads. “The tree struck a young worker about 30 feet from the tree’s base.” …“Once assessed, the patient was discharged home.” …“As with any injury or accident, an investigation was conducted by the B.C. Wildfire Service and WorkSafeBC,” the service said.

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In Vancouver, wildfire smoke and heat combine to significantly increase mortality risk, finds study

By Stefan labbe
Business in Vancouver
June 23, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Wildfire smoke and extreme heat are combining to create a lethal cocktail of environmental conditions that multiply the risk of death in Metro Vancouver, a new study has found. The research… found days dominated by hot temperatures and smoky skies combine to raise the risk of death across the region by 7.9%. Sarah Henderson, senior author and scientific director of the BC Centre for Disease Control’s Environmental Health Services, said the research comes as BC saw an uptick in smoky, hot days over the past two decades — a trend that’s only expected to accelerate with climate change. …The researchers tracked more than 21,000 deaths between 2010 and 2022. …Henderson said the combination of smoke and heat mean the human body is trying to maintain its core temperature while copying to fight inflammation caused by smoke exposure. …Henderson said the results align with other studies in California and Washington State.

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Preventing heat stress | Rate information sessions

WorkSafeBC
June 20, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

In the recent WorkSafeBC Health and Safety News, you’ll find these stories and more:

  • Prevent heat stress at work: Take action to protect your workers from heat stress. Find resources, including our heat stress screening tool.
  • Making it easier for workers to report an injury online: Recent improvements to our injury reporting form make it more convenient to report injuries online, anytime and on any device.
  • Finding strength in inspiring others: Darcy was only 20 years old when he sustained a life-altering injury at his job at a sawmill. Years later, he uses his experience to teach young workers about the importance of following safety procedures and taking the time to do work safely.
  • Rate information sessions: Learn about WorkSafeBC’s preliminary assessment (insurance) rates for 2026. In-person and virtual sessions are free to attend.

 

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Water at Rose Valley reservoir harder to treat due to damage from 2023 wildfire

By Wayne Moore
Castanet
June 12, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

The 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire caused serious damage to the Rose Valley reservoir, which provides source water to more than half of West Kelowna residents through the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant. During a presentation to city council this week, Interior Health medical health officer Dr. Fatameh Sabet said that damage makes it harder to treat water coming from the reservoir. “We know the land surrounding the Rose Valley reservoir has been contaminated because of the wildfire in 2023 and it means the contaminated source of water can be harder to treat because of the sediment, nutrients, metals and organic matter as a result of burned material,” said Dr. Sabet. “Fortunately, the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant was not damaged from the fire and it has been very helpful to compensate for damage to the watershed.” The plant ensures water is safe by not only controlling levels of manganese and disinfection byproduct, but other perspectives as well.

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People urged to prepare as warming temperatures increase wildfire, drought risk

By Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
Government of British Columbia
June 9, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

With warmer, drier conditions expected to increase across B.C., people are advised to stay prepared for climate-related emergencies. …People are encouraged to prepare grab-and-go bags, create an emergency and evacuation plan, create an Emergency Support Services profile through their B.C. Services Card app and ensure they have renter’s or homeowner’s insurance for their property. …Warm and dry conditions are expected throughout the province this month, and with that comes an elevated risk of wildfire. Northeastern B.C. is continuing to experience prolonged drought and is expected to remain at high risk for wildfire this summer. …In addition to wildfire risk, the Province is also closely monitoring key indicators of drought risk, including snowpack. 

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BC Wildfire Service working to address mental health toll on firefighters

By Sarah Adrian
The Trail Times
June 5, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Fighting forest fires has always been a physically demanding and dangerous job. But it can take a toll on firefighters’ mental health as well. In 2023, the deaths of six wildland firefighters in B.C. highlighted the importance of mental health, both for frontline responders and support staff. Wildland firefighters are challenged with stress and exhaustion, but the loss of colleagues heavily contributed to the mental toll on firefighters during the 2023 wildfire season, said Jessa Barber, a former wildland firefighter who is now a safety officer with the BC Wildfire Service. …BC Wildfire said it is being proactive, implementing policies and practices to support the mental health of its staff. …One of these practices is the New Recruit Boot Camp, which prioritizes educating recruits about the risks and dangers of being a wildland firefighter both physically and mentally. Ongoing support is provided to recruits.

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Huge, self-driving trucks roll onto Canada’s most treacherous roads

By Anita Balakrishnan
The Logic
June 6, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Deep in the wilderness, a semi truck cab carves a path through the snow, slowing as it approaches a one-lane bridge. …The situation would be anxiety-inducing for a human, but this truck cab is driving itself. It’s using a system developed by NuPort Robotics, a Toronto-based autonomous-driving startup. It’s just a test run—but one day, Canada’s north could be criss-crossed with self-driving trucks hauling huge loads on dangerous roads. …Seasonal logging firms struggle to compete with oil and mining companies for trained drivers. …The company has been in talks with several forestry companies to try and drum up more business. They’re looking for help, he said, to relieve driver fatigue, determine which complicated maneuvers can be automated, and which, like strapping logs to trucks, must be done by humans. NuPort is also testing how the technology reacts to unexpected issues like a log falling into the road.

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Man drowns after machinery falls into ocean at Crofton pulp mill

By Jeff Bell
Victoria Times Colonist
June 5, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP are investigating the drowning of a machinery operator in an industrial incident at the Crofton pulp mill on Wednesday. Police responded about noon to the Catalyst Pulp and Paper Mill after receiving a report that a piece of heavy equipment had fallen into the ocean with its operator trapped inside. Canadian Coast Guard divers attempted a rescue, but the 30-year-old man could not be revived. RCMP spokesperson Alex Bérubé said the B.C. Coroners Service and WorkSafeBC are both investigating what led to “this tragic outcome.”

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Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment Responds to the Devastating Wildfires in Central Canada

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
May 30, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Saskatoon & Winnipeg In response to the devastating wildfires threatening communities in central Canada. Dr. Murray Opdahl, a family physician and co-chair of CAPE Saskatchewan said, “It’s a dark day in … with so many of our communities at risk from these devastating wildfires. Wildfires and wildfire smoke pose immediate safety risks, and can have long-lasting impacts on people’s health and mental health. Our communities need immediate support during this crisis. We also need bold action to stop these wildfires from continuing to get worse each year. The science is clear: these increasingly severe wildfires are directly linked to climate change driven by fossil fuel emissions. What we’re witnessing isn’t natural; it’s the result of human activity warming our planet. I’m calling on all governments to take immediate action to protect people on the frontlines of this crisis—and to declare their commitment to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to safer alternatives.”

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Psychological health and safety — Joint committee requirements

WorkSafeBC
May 21, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

In this edition of the WorkSafeBC Health and Safety News you’ll find:

  • Learn how promoting psychological health and safety can help you experience stronger employee engagement, greater productivity, and decreased conflict and turnover.
  • Making a WorkSafeBC Claim – If you’re injured on the job, this resource explains what you need to do to file a claim. 
  • Online services – Whether you’re an employer, a worker, or a health care or service provider, you can use our online services to access your account information.
  • Prevent falls from heights – With outdoor construction ramping up, we’re reminding employers that falls from heights continue to be a leading cause of workplace injuries and fatalities. 
  • Safety information session for drivers of commercial vehicles — June 11 – Burnaby RCMP, in partnership with WorkSafeBC, is hosting a safety information session in Delta on June 11. 

 

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Planned burn could have killed trapped firefighters, says B.C. safety report

By Brenna Owen
Canadian Press in Victoria Times Colonist
May 7, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

British Columbia’s worker protection agency says a planned burn by the province’s wildfire service during the devastating 2023 fire season could have killed or injured multiple firefighters who became “trapped by extreme fire behaviour” that cut off their escape. Inspection reports by WorkSafeBC say the BC Wildfire Service didn’t adequately ensure safety during the burn in the Shuswap region on Aug. 17 that year, and a group of trapped Brazilian firefighters had to retreat to a “safe zone.” WorkSafeBC says they had to burn off fuel around their truck and spend the night because of low visibility, smoke, fire activity and falling trees. They were picked up the next day by another crew that “cut their way into the site.” …The employer did not provide adequate information, instruction, training or supervision for the crews involved, the report says, and the incident “could have resulted in multiple serious injuries or fatalities of workers.”

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B.C. minister urges personal preparedness to best respond to emergencies

Comox Valley Record
May 7, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

B.C.’s Emergency Management Kelly Greene says personal preparedness goes such a long way in making sure people and their families can bounce back in the face of emergencies. May 4 to 10 is Emergency Preparedness Week across the country, and Greene said it’s a great time to think about what your household needs to be prepared for an emergency. “We know that in British Columbia, we’re facing escalating impacts from climate-fuelled weather events, and so thinking about what you might need for your household like a grab-and-go bag, updating your home insurance, renter’s insurance, making sure that you’re ready for whatever the year might throw at you,” Greene said in an interview with Black Press Media. Greene said the province is “always ready to respond to emergencies.” She added emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca has active emergency information on it and is updated 24 hours a day.

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Helicopter Long-Long Rescue Compared to Stretcher-Bearing in New MEDIVAC Training Video

By John Betts, Western Forestry Contractors’ Assn
Rumour Mill RoundUpDate
April 14, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

If someone suffers a serious injury on a steep or difficult access worksite, transporting them along the ground by stretcher to the roadside may risk further injuries to the patient and possibly the rescuers. This is apparent in a BC Forest Safety MEDIVAC drill training video just now available. It features Technical Emergency Advanced Aero Medical (TEAAM) paramedics in an exercise long-lining a patient by helicopter to the landing and workers bearing a stretcher across the slash to do the same. Recognizing long-lining appears more dramatic, “it is actually much safer,” says TEAAM’s Miles Randell in the video. Given the increased WorkSafeBC First Aid expectations around emergency response planning including transporting injured workers by air when significant time can be saved in getting them to medical care the video is timely.

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Air quality advisories issued as wildfire smoke blankets northern Ont.

By Don Bertrand
CTV News
July 13, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada East

An air quality warning is in effect for much of northwestern Ontario, with officials cautioning that while conditions may temporarily improve, pollution levels could rise again by evening. A special air quality statement was also issued for most of northeastern Ontario, where westerly winds are carrying smoke from active wildfires. “Westerly winds will bring smoke from forest fires over northern Ontario to the area, causing the air quality to deteriorate,” the statement read. “The poor air quality will persist through tonight and possibly Monday before improving.” Health officials warned that vulnerable groups – including seniors, pregnant individuals, young children, people with chronic illnesses, and outdoor workers – should avoid strenuous activities outside. Common symptoms from smoke exposure include eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, and mild coughs, while more severe reactions may involve wheezing, chest pain, or difficulty breathing. Residents are urged to seek medical help if symptoms worsen.

Related coverage:

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Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Ontario reaches tentative agreement to end labour disruption

WSIB Ontario
July 5, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada East

TORONTO – The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) announced a tentative agreement has been reached with the Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU). The organization looks forward to welcoming back its full team within 24 hours of a successful ratification vote. …As normal service resumes, people can continue to log in to the WSIB’s website anytime, 24/7 to: Report an injury or illness; Submit documents for an existing claim; See claim, payment, and health benefit information in real time; Register a new business; and Access clearances. “We thank Ontarians for the patience they’ve shown us during the labour disruption,” said Jeff Lang, President and CEO. …The WSIB provides workplace injury and illness insurance to more than 5.3 million people in more than 300,000 workplaces across Ontario. 

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SafetyCo Partners Launches New Division to Serve Northern Ontario’s Evolving Safety Needs

By SafetyCo Partners
Cision Newswire
July 7, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada East

TORONTO – SafetyCo Partners, Canada’s fastest-growing provider of integrated safety solutions, continues to expand with the launch of SafetyCo North, following the acquisition of Norpro’s Health & Safety Division. Headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. and female-led, SafetyCo North brings unprecedented access to safety training, consulting, staffing, rescue, and compliance services for industries across Northern Ontario. “As Canada prioritizes domestic resource independence, the Northern Ontario is fast emerging as an industrial hub with rising demand for comprehensive, scalable safety services,” said Mark Ferrier, Co-Founder and President of SafetyCo Partners. “SafetyCo North is uniquely positioned to meet this need.” SafetyCo North will serve organizations across Northern Ontario, including Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Sudbury, and Timmins. The new division will be led by locally-based safety professionals Jessica Amadio and Shannan Boston, who bring experience in heavy industrial industry, construction, and sectors including mining, energy, and forestry.

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Halifax spent more than $160,000 on the wrong kind of wildfire protective gear for firefighters

By Haley Ryan
CBC News
July 2, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada East

Halifax spent more than $160,000 on the wrong type of wildfire protective gear, and the union for municipal firefighters says the mix-up is just one example that the department is not properly preparing for wildfires. In the aftermath of the Upper Tantallon wildfire in 2023, Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency ordered a second set of wildland firefighting coveralls for most of its members. But about two years later, it was discovered in April that the new coveralls were intended for use in industrial settings where firefighters typically encounter short flashes of fire. They look almost identical to the correct ones but do not meet wildfire standards for working in sustained heat. …Wearing the wrong gear in a wildfire setting presents a greater risk of heat exhaustion, Meagher said. …Although Meagher said … this is why all new equipment orders are supposed to go through their health and safety committee to ensure things aren’t missed.

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New funding announced for worker safety in mining and forestry

Sudbury.com
May 13, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada East

Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has announced $6.78 million in funding to protect people in Ontario’s natural resources sector. The funding plan was revealed during the recent Workplace Safety North annual Mining Health and Safety Conference at Science North. In what was described as a strategic, provincewide collaboration, the WSIB has partnered with Workplace Safety North (WSN) and the Institute for Work and Health (IWH) to lead a proactive campaign aimed at enhancing hygiene monitoring practices and reducing exposure to harmful workplace hazards, said the news release from WSN. …The initiative, which is spearheaded by WSN, is to focus on high-risk sectors such as mining and forestry, where workers continue to face some of the highest rates of occupational illness fatalities in Ontario. 

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Funding Announced to Protect Workers from Invisible Health Hazards

By Workplace Safety North
Wawa News
April 30, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada East

During the 27th annual Mining Health and Safety Conference at Science North, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) announced $6.78 million in funding to protect people in Ontario’s natural resources sectors. In a strategic, province-wide collaboration, the WSIB has partnered with Workplace Safety North (WSN) and the Institute for Work and Health (IWH) to lead a proactive campaign aimed at enhancing hygiene monitoring practices and reducing exposure to harmful workplace hazards. “This partnership will help create lasting change in Ontario’s natural resources sector and provide people confidence that they’re working in healthy and safe environments each day they come in to work,” says Janine Dyck, Chief Service Excellence Officer at the WSIB. Spearheaded by WSN, the initiative focuses on high-risk sectors like mining and forestry, where workers continue to face some of the highest rates of occupational illness fatalities in Ontario.

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Crews respond to leaking rail car at Saint John railway yard

By Andrew Bates
The Telegraph-Journal in Yahoo! News
April 23, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada East

The Saint John Fire Department’s hazardous materials team responded Wednesday to a “slow leak” of sulfuric acid from a rail car at a west-side Saint John rail yard. …The rail yard is owned by N.B. Southern Railway, a J.D. Irving company. Arrand said the hazmat team was called and firefighters established a 150-foot perimeter around the rail car while they waited for removal specialists from the Canadian Transport Emergency Centre and RST Transport to arrive. JDI VP of communications Anne McInerney said “All emergency procedures were followed,” and while it’s not confirmed how much acid leaked, the release occurred in a “very small area” and could not have been more than five litres. Arrand said that sulfuric acid presents an inhalation hazard, which was the reason for the perimeter.

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Weedkiller ingredient widely used in US can damage organs and gut bacteria, research shows

By Tom Perkins
The Guardian
July 6, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

The herbicide ingredient used to replace glyphosate in Roundup and other weedkiller products can kill gut bacteria and damage organs in multiple ways, new research shows. The ingredient, diquat, is widely employed in the US as a weedkiller in vineyards and orchards, and is increasingly sprayed elsewhere as the use of controversial herbicide substances such as glyphosate and paraquat drops in the US. But the new piece of data suggests diquat is more toxic than glyphosate, and the substance is banned over its risks in the UK, EU, China and many other countries. …Despite the risks amid a rise in diquat’s use, the EPA is not reviewing the chemical, and even non-profits that push for tighter pesticide regulations have largely focused their attention elsewhere.

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APA Members Honored for Excellence in Workplace Safety

APA – The Engineered Wood Association
June 27, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

Engineered wood manufacturers from across North America were named winners of APA – The Engineered Wood Association’s 2024 Safety and Health Awards — the premier safety award program for North America’s engineered wood products industry. The program promotes and recognizes operational excellence with the goal of reducing injury and illness rates. The Safest Company Award went to three members: Domtar won in the category of three or fewer mills, West Fraser won for companies with four to 10 mills, and LP earned the title for companies with 11 or more member mills. There were two winners in the prestigious Innovation in Safety Award category. Domtar’s Larouche, Quebec, mill won the Equipment-Based Innovation in Safety Award for their submission, “Distancing Handle,” while LP’s Jasper, Texas, mill won the Jack Wagner Process-Based Innovation in Safety Award for their submission, “Safety Champions – Future Leader Development – Safety Projects.”

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National Safety Month: Safe Driving

The National Association of Home Builders
June 17, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

NAHB is joining with official safety sponsor Builders Mutual to highlight jobsite safety resources during National Safety Month, an annual observance from the National Safety Council. Week 3 will focus on safe driving to, from, and around the jobsite. Traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of deaths in America. About 40,000 people die in motor vehicle crashes each year. With automobile fatality trends increasing, it’s important to understand the dangers of driving and how to safely commute to and from work each day. NAHB and Builders Mutual have resources available to help remind workers of safe driving habits. Any discussion of safe driving must start with a clear reminder of the three unbreakable safety rules of operating a vehicle: Always wear a seatbelt while in a vehicle; Never drive while impaired; and Never text and drive.

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National Fire Protection Association 660: The New Standard For Combustible Dust

By Brian Edwards, NFPA Committee for Combustible Dust
Biomass Magazine
May 19, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

For the past 10 years, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)  has been working to consolidate several industry-specific standards for combustible dust. In December 2024, the NFPA completed its goal by issuing “NFPA 660–Standard for Combustible Dusts and Particulate Solids.” This new standard combines six existing standards, including NFPA 61 (agricultural dust) and NFPA 664 (wood dust), into a single standard that covers all industries where combustible dust and particulates are generated, used and handled. Building permitting authorities, code enforcers and fire agencies use the NFPA standards to establish the basis of design and operation for new and existing industrial sites, so it’s important for pellet mill owners and operators to be aware of NFPA requirements, especially for new projects and plant modifications. NFPA 660 covers both administrative and engineering requirements at facilities with combustible dust, and its goal is to minimize fires and explosions, help companies maintain business continuity, and, most importantly, protect workers and the public.

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Exoskeleton technology shows promise in protecting workers in one of the most dangerous jobs

By Texas A&M University
EurekAlert!
May 8, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

The same exoskeleton principles that protect grasshoppers, crabs and similar creatures could also help protect the 25,000 or so workers in the job with the highest injury and fatality rates in America: forestry. “Forestry is vitally important to our economy and our standard of living, but its workers pay a high price, with an injury rate that is 40 percent higher than the average of all other industries and fatality rates that are 20 to 30 times higher,” said Jeong Ho “Jay” Kim, PhD, a systems engineering expert with the Texas A&M University School of Public Health. In a recent study, Kim and co-author Woodam Chung, PhD, a forest engineer at Oregon State University, were the first to objectively measure biomechanical stress experienced by professional timber fellers during actual timber felling operations. They also evaluated forest workers’ perceptions of wearable exoskeletons—emerging technology already being used in other physically demanding industries.

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Climate-fueled wildfires contributed to thousands of US deaths over 15 years, study says, with highest in Oregon and California

By Dorany Pineda
The Associated Press in Oregon Public Broadcasting
May 7, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

Wildfires driven by climate change contribute to as many as thousands of annual deaths and billions of dollars in economic costs from wildfire smoke in the United States, according to a new study. The annual range of deaths was 130 to 5,100, the study showed, with the highest in states such as Oregon and California. The paper, published Friday in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment, found that from 2006 to 2020, climate change contributed to about 15,000 deaths from exposure to small particulate matter from wildfires and cost about $160 billion. …Nicholas Nassikas, a study author and a physician and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School… and a multidisciplinary team of researchers wanted to know: “What does it really mean in a changing environment for things like mortality, which is kind of the worst possible health outcome?” The paper’s researchers focused on deaths linked to exposure to fine particulate matter, or PM2.5 — the main concern from wildfire smoke.

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Truckers get hit with $65 million wake up call

By By Christy Rakoczy
The Street in the Modesto Bee
June 13, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

The trucking industry has been facing unprecedented challenges in recent years, with a shortage of qualified drivers, rising fuel and insurance costs… and now economic uncertainty caused by tariffs. …Now, one large lawsuit against a trucking company highlights a dangerous practice that has been going on. …The Estate of Sarah Susman v. Starker Forests, Inc., R&T Logging of Oregon, Wolf Cr. Timber Services, Shane Mcvay – is a $65 million wrongful death claim. Sarah Susman… was driving to work in September 2021 when a logging truck operated by a 67-year-old driver rolled over and lost its load. …Family members of the victim believe that the incident can be attributed to a dangerous injury practice referred to as “double brokering.” …Court filings explained that double-brokering is a practice within the trucking industry where multiple contractors pass hauling jobs between them with very little oversight or enforcement of safety regulations.

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Three burn parameters can make prescribed forest fires burn safer and cleaner

By Farah Aziz Annesha, Stanford University
Phys.Org
April 15, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

Prescribed burns literally fight fire with more fire. Often referred to as “beneficial fires,” they target areas at risk for wildfires and burn away material that could otherwise fuel a future blaze. However, all fires, whether accidental or planned, produce smoke that can cause health and respiratory issues, especially in nearby communities. Burning fires release harmful chemicals, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), that are carcinogenic—PAHs can cause cancer, lung damage, and lead to weakened immunity in those who inhale smoke. Recently, in a study published in Atmospheric Pollution Research, scientists at Stanford University suggested ways to perform prescribed burns with drastically reduced health implications. They’ve determined that simply tweaking some of the burn conditions can slash PAH emissions by up to 77%. The researchers estimate that this could cut cancer risks from smoke exposure by over 50%.

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Exoskeletons may help curb high injury and fatality rates in forestry

Safety and Health Magazine
July 8, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Forestry workers could benefit from the use of exoskeletons that support their back and upper limbs, results of a study show. Researchers from Texas A&M University and Oregon State University used sensors on 10 forestry workers to determine what type of exoskeleton may help them. The workers, along with 12 other foresters, completed a survey that assessed how much they knew about exoskeletons, their level of acceptance, and their perceived barriers and risks of using the technology. The results indicated that the workers experienced musculoskeletal pain in the neck, shoulders, lower back, wrists/forearms, knees, legs and feet/ankles. “This finding suggests that back-support and upper-limb support exoskeletons may be suitable to the forestry industry,” study co-author Jeong Ho “Jay” Kim, an associate professor at Texas A&M, said. “Forestry is vitally important but its workers pay a high price, with an injury rate that is 40% higher than the average.”

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Southern Forest Products Association Announces 2024 Sawmill Safety Award Recipients

The Southern Forest Products Association
May 14, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

The Southern Forest Products Association has announced the recipients of the John Edgar Rhodes 2024 Sawmill Safety Excellence Awards. The SFPA Safety Awards embody the impact, dedication, and legacy of the Association’s founding leader, John Edgar Rhodes. The seven award recipients represent a record of 1,883,749 total hours worked among 757 employees – achieving safety excellence with zero reported incidents. This is the fourth year in a row where at least seven member mills reported zero incidents. SFPA Lumber Manufacturer members are considered for the award based on standardized information submitted using OSHA Form 300A – the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. This form offers a yearly snapshot of workplace safety by reporting the number of work-related injuries and illnesses at each facility. Awards are presented in three divisions, and safety performance is judged by how each mill’s safety record stacks up against facilities with comparable lumber output throughout the year.

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Toxic wildfire pollution infiltrates homes of 1bn people a year, study finds

By Damian Carrington
The Guardian
May 14, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: International

Toxic pollution from wildfires has infiltrated the homes of more than a billion people a year over the last two decades, according to new research. The climate crisis is driving up the risk of wildfires by increasing heatwaves and droughts, making the issue of wildfire smoke a “pressing global issue”, scientists said. The tiny particles produced by wildfires can travel thousands of miles and are known to be more toxic than urban air pollution, due to higher concentrations of chemicals that cause inflammation. Wildfire pollution has been linked to early deaths, worsened heart and breathing diseases and premature births.Previous studies have analysed outdoor exposure to wildfire smoke, but people spend most of their time indoors, particularly when seeking refuge from wildfires. The new analysis is the first global, high-resolution study of indoor spikes in wildfire pollution.

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