Category Archives: Health & Safety

Health & Safety

2021 APA Safety and Health Award Winners Announced

APA – The Engineered Wood Association
July 19, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, United States
 

APA – The Engineered Wood Association has announced the winners of its 2021 Safety and Health Awards. The APA Safety and Health Awards Program encourages and recognizes operational excellence with the goal of reducing injury and illness rates. …Resolute Engineered Wood and West Fraser won Safest Company Awards in their respective categories, while the coveted Innovation in Safety Award went to two winners: Tolko Industries Ltd. of Athabasca, Alberta, for the Equipment-Based Innovation Award, and Tolko Industries Ltd. of Armstrong, British Columbia, for the Jeff Wagner Process-Based Innovation Award. …“We are proud of our members’ commitment to developing systems and processes that improve worker safety,” said APA President Mark Tibbetts. …Besides the Safest Company and Innovation in Safety awards, other competition categories include Annual Safety and Health Award, Safety Improvement Award (2019-2021) and 3-Year Safety Award. 

Read More

Analysis of deflagration isolation in wood pellet production for safe operation

By Kayleigh Rayner Brown
Canadian Biomass
July 20, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada

The Wood Pellet Association of Canada in collaboration with Dalhousie University, BC Forest Safety Council and Canadian Biomassmagazine hosted a webinar. Organized by the WPAC Safety Committee, the focus of the webinar was the technical study Analysis of Deflagration Isolation in Wood Pellet Production for Safer Operation. In wood pellet plants, there is a risk of combustible dust deflagration propagation through interconnected equipment due to presence of ignition sources and generation of combustible dust. Deflagration isolation is the technique for interrupting pressure and flames between connected equipment. The purpose of the webinar was to enhance the ability of management and decision makers to effectively consider key areas of focus for deflagration isolation in wood pellet production.

Read More

Talking about firefighter safety

By Forest Operations
FPInnovations
June 16, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada

With about 8,000 wildfires burning throughout Canada’s vast landscape each year, it goes without saying that a large number of resources are required to manage them. In this article, Greg Baxter from FPInnovations’ Wildfire Operations Research group answers questions about the work that FPInnovations is doing to help ensure the safety of the most important resource: the people working on the firelines. “FPInnovations has worked on numerous projects that have an impact on firefighter safety. Over the past two decades we have performed research on firefighter hardhats, foot travel rates for firefighters, and survival zones. Most recently, we just completed a 5-year project in which we investigated the collection and use of temperature lapse rate data,” explains Baxter.

Read More

Escaping load a serious driver-safety issue

By John Ducker
The Times Colonist
June 10, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, United States

On May 24, Comox Valley RCMP attended an horrific crash on the on-ramp to Highway 19 along the Comox Valley Parkway. It’s a familiar type of incident actually — a logging truck, stacked high with hundreds of tons of raw logs, tipped over and spilled its cargo. This time, tragically… a man was killed at the scene. …The Mounties’ traffic experts will get to the bottom of this, but in general, this scenario is known as an “escaping load,” and it’s a very serious driver safety issue. …In the U.S., the problem is of such concern that June 6 is designated as “National Secure Your Load Day.” In 2016 alone, 683 people were killed on U.S. highways as a result of escaping loads. Our friends in Washington state take this issue so seriously that it’s one of the few highway traffic offences rated as a criminal misdemeanor. In B.C. it’s an offence to operate a vehicle from which your load escapes.

Read More

Free Webinar: Tips to successfully transition into supervision

BC Forest Safety Council
August 15, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Thursday, November 17, 2022 2:00pm – 3:00pm PST
Register Today: go to our website – under NEWS to get the registration link
________________________________________
The path to supervision isn’t always planned or intentional. Many forestry supervisors are quickly promoted to the role – they’re a crew worker one day and responsible for the whole crew the next day. This webinar is intended for workers transitioning into a supervisor role as well as seasoned supervisors. We’ll cover the key principles of leadership, regardless of position or experience level, and help participants build their leadership skills and understand the supervisor’s role. Join us for this presentation hosted by facilitator Shannon Overland, Principal Consultant at Dekra Insights.

Read More

Environment Canada issues heat warning for most of B.C.

By Aaro Schulze
CFJC Today
July 25, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

KAMLOOPS — A heat wave is going to impact B.C. this week. In a public alert issued Monday morning, Environment Canada says B.C. will reach daytime high temperatures between 35 to 40 degrees Celsius and early morning lows of 18 to 20 degrees. The heat warning is expected to begin Tuesday and last until Saturday. According to the weather agency, the heat wave is due to a strong ridge of high pressure. The peak daytime high temperatures are expected from Wednesday to Friday, then a slow cooling trend is likely next weekend to early August. …While extreme heat affects everyone, Environment Canada says the risks are greater for young children, pregnant women, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, and people working or exercising outdoors. Effects of heat illness include swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and the worsening of some health conditions.

Read More

WorkSafeBC’s preliminary average premium base rate to remain unchanged in 2023

WorkSafeBC
July 15, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

WorkSafeBC announced today that the preliminary average base rate for 2023 will remain unchanged at 1.55 per cent of employers’ assessable payroll. This will be the sixth year in a row that the average base rate has remained at this level, consistent with WorkSafeBC’s goal of keeping rates stable. Annual base premium rates are driven by provincial injury rates, return-to-work performance and the resulting cost of claims, as well as investment performance relative to required rates of return. Each year, the costs in some industries go up, some go down and others stay the same. In 2023, 50 per cent of employers in B.C. are projected to experience a decrease in their industry base rate, 37 per cent will see their industry base rate increase, and 13 per cent will see no change. …The Workers Compensation Act requires WorkSafeBC to set premium rates annually for employers in order to pay for the workers’ compensation system.

Read More

Driver airlifted to hospital after logging truck rollover near Campbell River

Chek News
July 6, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

A logging truck driver was airlifted to hospital after his vehicle rolled over on a logging road south of Campbell River, spilling its load and pinning him inside. Campbell River Fire Capt. John Vaton said crews were called to the logging road, approximately 10 kilometres from the Cranberry Island Highway intersection, at around 11:15 a.m. Wednesday. They arrived to find the logging truck on its side near a bank. …firefighters were able to make their way inside the cab and make contact with the driver who was conscious “but in a great deal of pain,” said Campbell River Fire Capt. John Vaton. They extricated him from the truck and paramedics transferred him to an air ambulance that landed on the logging road. He was flown to Victoria General Hospital in unknown condition.

Read More

Road restrictions are currently in effect on some Forest Service Roads

By Dave Branco
CKPG Today
June 27, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

PRINCE GEORGE – The recent rainfall and melting snowpack have closed or restricted some roads. The BC Forest Safety Council is reminding drivers that resource roads are not built or maintained to public roadway standards, pose hazards, and are used by industrial and recreational users. All resource road users are encouraged to exercise caution. Expect the unexpected.

Read More

Mosaic Forestry Contractors Recognized for Outstanding Performance

By Karin Doherty
Mosaic Forest Management
June 28, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Nanaimo, BC — Mosaic Forest Management is recognizing forestry contractors who have contributed to the company’s focus on safety, environmental performance, Indigenous relations, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and quality over the past year.
“We are privileged to partner with outstanding contractors who demonstrate excellence in so many different areas, starting with safety,” said Jeff Zweig, President & CEO of Mosaic. “We are not successful unless everyone in and around our operations goes home safely every day. Every injury is preventable, and we will not rest until we achieve and maintain zero injuries.” In 2021, Mosaic achieved a medical incident rate of 1.58 per 200,000 hours worked (on a total of 2.6 million hours for the year), representing a 28% reduction over three years.

Read More

Gilbert Smith Forest Products celebrates safety at their Barriere mill

By Jill Hayward
The North Thompson Star/Journal
June 16, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Greg Smith with prize winner

Safety is marked as a key value at Gilbert Smith Forest Products Ltd (GSFP) in the North Thompson Valley community of Barriere, B.C. “We put significant effort into the continuous improvement of our Safety Program to ensure the health and safety of our workforce,” says GSFP’s Human Resources and Occupational Health and Safety Coordinator Darcey Woods, CRSP. “In May we celebrated Safety and Health Week (May 1-7) with ‘Safety Bingo’, which gave all of the employees a chance to win an E-Bike along with a number of other prizes that were awarded at our Safety BBQ.” Wood says the annual Safety BBQ was held on May 10, with GSFP celebrating two years with zero time-loss accidents in the Manufacturing division of the company, and over 19 years in the Woodlands division.

Read More

Help wanted for devastated family after Island dad killed by logs falling off truck

By Sarah Simpson
The Alberni Valley News
June 10, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

The sister of a Lake Cowichan man who died as a result of a logging truck tragedy in the Comox Valley that has set up a Go-Fund-Me for his wife and children. Andrew Linklater, 43, died May 24 on the northbound on-ramp to Highway 19 off the Comox Valley Parkway when the truck lost its load. Still in shock over their loss, Linklater’s devastated little sister Summer Muzyka has set up a GoFundMe account to help Linklater’s widow and their children during their grief. “Andrew has left behind Donna his partner for 16 years and the mother of his children, Ashton & Sienna, Josh & Brentyn,” Muzyka said on the GoFundMe page. “We are all so devastated. We are in disbelief. We are hurting. We don’t know how we will ever find happiness again.” To donate visit: https://gofund.me/76f4addb.

Read More

Worker, 53, killed at northern Alberta pulp mill

By Anna Junker
The Edmonton Journal
June 12, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

A 53-year-old independent contractor has died at a northern Alberta pulp mill. In a statement, Mercer International said the death occurred on Saturday at the Peace River pulp mill and the company has initiated an investigation into the contractor’s death. “We are saddened about the loss of life of one of our contractor’s employees and our thoughts are with the individual’s family and colleagues. An investigation of the accident has been started and we are working with the authorities and the contracting company to find out how this tragic incident occurred,” said Roger Ashfield, managing director of Mercer Peace River. RCMP said officers responded to the mill about 1:50 a.m. and determined the man’s death to be non-criminal. Occupational health and safety has taken over the investigation.

Read More

Air quality statement issued as efforts continue to fight forest fire

By Vanese M. Ferguson
CJWW Radio Saskatoon Media
June 5, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

In the most recent update from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, at mid-morning Sunday, they are reporting seven active wildfires in the province with only one not contained.  The McCafe fire at last word was burning less than 20 kilometres from Stanley Mission and Rapid River Dam.  The fire was estimated at 2,000 hectares and in addition to fire crews, heavy equipment, helicopters and air tanker support were being used to fight the wildfire. As of mid-morning Environment Canada has downsized the area affected by an air quality statement. …Environment Canada says  that area residents may experience symptoms such as increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches or shortness of breath. Children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk.

Read More

2022 June Public Hearing on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation

WorkSafeBC
May 31, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

WorkSafeBC is holding a virtual public hearing on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation. The virtual public hearing will be streamed live on June 21, 2022, in two sessions. The first will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.and the second from 3 to 5 p.m. The links to view the virtual public hearing and information to dial in will be posted here. The virtual hearing will cover proposed changes to the following parts of the OHS Regulation: Part 3 – Minimum Levels of First Aid and Parts 14 and 19 – Inconsistent Crane Misadventure and Zone-Limiting Devices in Tower Cranes. We welcome your feedback on the proposed amendments through either written submissions or participation at the virtual public hearing. All feedback received will be presented to WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors for their consideration. The public consultation phase is separate from the public hearing process. Even if you provided comments during consultation, please make another submission on the proposed changes.

Read More

As summer approaches, WorkSafeBC is reminding young workers about their rights — and employers about their responsibilities

WorkSafeBC
May 31, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Richmond, B.C. — As large numbers of young people begin entering the workforce for summer jobs, WorkSafeBC cautions that young and new workers are vulnerable to injury at work. In 2021, WorkSafeBC accepted 7,125 claims related to injuries from young workers. Injuries were most likely to occur in service-sector jobs (2,801 claims), followed by retail and wholesale (1,335 claims), and construction (1,258 claims). In the last five years, 16 young workers have died in workplace incidents “More than half of all serious injuries occur during the first six months of employment,” says Jacqueline Holmes, Manager of Prevention Field Services at WorkSafeBC. ”Injuries can result from inadequate training, orientation, and supervision, inexperience, or a reluctance to speak up, ask questions, and raise health and safety concerns.” 

Read More

B.C.’s climate change disasters highlight need for new safety measures: Technical Safety B.C.

By Tiffany Crawford
Vancouver Sun
May 28, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

B.C.’s climate crisis-related disasters last year such as the deadly heat dome, wildfires, flooding and landslides highlight the need for new safety measures, according to a new report by B.C.’s safety authority this week. Other top concerns outlined in Technical Safety B.C.’s 2021 State of Safety report include a lack of awareness about carbon monoxide safety, and work done by unlicensed individuals. This year’s report found that some of the most significant risks to British Columbians’ safety are the risks emerging from continued climate change impacts in communities across the province. …“So with more extreme weather, which includes as we know, flooding, winds, fires, heat, what we need to figure out is how does our current infrastructure of this equipment hold up? And so there’s analytical work and evaluation going on,” said Technical Safety B.C. president Phil Gothe.

 

Read More

No WorkSafe orders issued to Port Mellon mill after fume incident

By Keili Bartlett
Sunshine Coast Reporter
May 23, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

The WorkSafeBC inspector gave Howe Sound Pulp & Paper several safety suggestions after May 12 gas incident sent several HSPP workers to the hospital. All of the workers were able to return to work the next day. WorkSafeBC has delivered its report into a May 12 incident at Howe Sound Pulp & Paper Mill that saw six workers taken to the hospital after being exposed to “foul condensate fumes.”  WorkSafeBC’s occupational hygiene officer Peder Gorseth inspected the Port Mellon mill worksite on May 13, the day after the incident, his May 18 report states. WorkSafeBC has not issued any orders in relation to this incident but has included a few suggestions to the employer. The report states that both the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Corporation and RCMP officers notified WorkSafeBC about the incident, which took place during the mill’s annual shutdown on May 12.

Read More

4 Cariboo Pulp and Paper contractors sent to hospital after vapour exposure

By Rebecca Dyok
Quesnel Cariboo Observer
May 19, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Four contractors at West Fraser’s Cariboo Pulp and Paper mill in Quesnel were sent to G.R. Baker Hospital after a brief exposure to a by-product of the manufacturing process. The black liquor vapour mist exposure happened at approximately 8 a.m. Thursday, May 19, during routine operations. “The four individuals reported to first aid after experiencing minor respiratory and eye irritation,” confirmed a West Fraser spokesperson. “As a precaution, the individuals were transported by ambulance to local medical aid for observation and further assessment.” …“Protection systems worked as designed and emergency procedures were immediately activated, including restricting access to the area,” the West Fraser spokesperson added, thanking emergency responders.

Read More

Gas buildup caused 2020 explosion at pellet plant

By Rod Link
Houston Today
May 25, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

A series of explosions at the Houston Pellet Plant on Nov. 25, 2020 which injured four people was triggered when a buildup of unknown combustible gas was ignited by the plant’s natural gas burner used to dry wet fibre, indicates an extensive WorkSafe BC report into the incident. A vertical orange flame shot out of one of the plant’s stacks while a wave of flame then ignited combustible dust within the plant’s drying machinery. The report indicated that the force of the flame erupting from the stack was sufficient to blow its steel lid of 1,278 pounds up and over an adjacent energy plant owned by the next-door Canfor sawmill, a distance of 246 feet. …The explosions occurred after the natural gas burner was ignited following a partial shutdown of drying operations. …At the time of the explosions, the plant was jointly owned by Pinnacle Pellet, Canfor and the Witset First Nation and operated by Pinnacle.

Read More

Northwestern Ontario pulp & paper mills named safest in Canada

Northern Ontario Business
July 11, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada East

A pair of northwestern Ontario sawmills has been deemed the safest in Canada. In 2021, Resolute Forest Products’ Thunder Bay facility and Domtar’s Dryden operation had the fewest recordable incidents amongst their peers. The finding was reported in the spring edition of the industry publication Pulp & Paper. Resolute Forest Products earned the top spot in Category A, for mills that record more than 80,000 worker hours per month. The facility had five recordable incidents in 2021, with a total of 1,001,259 total hours worked and a mill frequency of 0.998. Domtar came out on top in Category B, for mills that recorded between 50,000 and 80,000 worker hours per month. The Dryden operation reported one recordable incident in 2021, with a total of 741,079 total hours worked and a mill frequency of 0.269. The top spot in Category C, for mills with fewer than 50,000 worker hours per month, went to Cascades Containerboard Packaging in Mississauga.

Read More

How to Make Sure Wildfire Shelters Save Firefighters’ Lives

By Lou Dzierzak
Scientific American
July 25, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

Wildfires burn hot, fast and unpredictably. Although wildland firefighters receive extensive training to keep themselves safe, they sometimes become cut off by flames that can reach temperatures of 1,600 to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. To protect themselves in these extremely dire situations, each carries a portable fire shelter (essentially a small, specially formulated foil tent) that can be deployed to shield them from flames and hot gasses. But this technology has serious limits, and researchers are now exploring new materials and designs—and putting prototypes through a gauntlet of fiery tests. …The need for better shelters will only become more crucial as fire seasons continue to grow more severe. …the new emergency fire shelter prototypes focus on other ways to improve heat resistance. …Although the prototypes proved promising, they failed to dethrone the M2002 as the model wildland firefighters carry into the field. But the quest for better fire shelters still continues.

Read More

More than 90 million in the US endure alarmingly high temperatures as heat wave persists

By Aya Elamroussi and Samantha Beech
CNN Weather
July 24, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

The deadly heat wave scorching much of the US will continue Sunday, when the Northeast and mid-South regions are likely to be suffocated by temperatures feeling as hot as 105 degrees. More than 90 million people across the country are under various heat alerts for dangerously high temperatures. Sunday is expected to bring the hottest temperatures to the Northeast. …The extreme conditions — which experts note are becoming more common around the globe due to climate change — have led local officials to issue heat emergencies to allow for resources to aid in confronting the heat millions have been enduring. Officials are also imploring people to practice extreme caution when spending time outdoors, stay hydrated and check on vulnerable communities and neighbors. In the US, excessive heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths.

Read More

Weedkiller ingredient tied to cancer found in 80% of US urine samples

By Carey Gillam
The Guardian
July 9, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

More than 80% of urine samples drawn from children and adults in a US health study contained a weedkilling chemical linked to cancer, a finding scientists have called “concerning”. The report by a unit of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that out of 2,310 urine samples, 1,885 had detectable traces of glyphosate. This is the active ingredient in herbicides sold around the world, including the widely used Roundup brand. …The CDC has only recently started examining the extent of human exposure to glyphosate. …Monsanto maintains that glyphosate and Roundup products are safe, and that residues in food and in human urine are not a health risk. They are at odds with the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a unit of WHO, which classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen in 2015. …The US Environmental Protection Agency has taken the opposite stance, classifying glyphosate as not likely to be carcinogenic.

Read More

The Logging Safety Quandary: Why the Numbers Increased in 2020

By Clay Altizer, FRA Southwide Regional Manager
Forests2Market Blog
June 10, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States

Logging is an inherently dangerous profession. It always has been and always will be. However, this fact should not discourage us from trying to advance safety practices in the logging sector. …Recent fatal work injury rates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics document the dire need to significantly improve the overall safety performance in the logging sector. Fatal work injury rates among logging workers increased from 68.9/100,000 in 2019 to 91.7/100,000 in 2020. …When asked how COVID-19 affected training… affects included not being able to meet in-person/having to meet virtually, little to no opportunity for field practice (hands-on training), and difficulty understanding/following COVID-19 guidelines. …Being consistently labeled as “one of the most dangerous professions” has been an albatross for some time now. …We must do better. FRA is committed to being part of the solution.

Read More

Wildland firefighter dies after being struck by tree in Oregon’s Willamette Natl. Forest

KATU News
August 11, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

OREGON — A firefighter died Wednesday after he was struck by a tree while fighting the Big Swamp Fire in the Willamette National Forest. Collin Hagan, 27, of Toivola, Michigan, was a Bureau of Land Management firefighter with the Craig Interagency Hotshot Crew in Colorado. He was assigned to help fight the wildfire which is burning to the southeast of Oakridge, Oregon. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said a 9-1-1 call came in shortly after 12:30 p.m. reporting that a wildland firefighter was critically injured after he was struck by a tree. Both ground and helicopter ambulances were sent to the scene, but despite getting medical aid from EMS personnel assigned to the fire, Hagan died of his injuries. A REACH Air Medical Services helicopter flew his body to the Roseburg Regional Airport, where firefighters from the BLM, USFS, and local agencies “stood together to honor Hagan.”

Read More

Career fire lookout dies in McKinney Fire, Forest Service says

By Zoe Christen Jones
CBS News
August 8, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

Kathy Shoopman

A longtime fire lookout at Klamath National Forest was identified Monday as one of the four killed in the ongoing McKinney wildfire in California. The fire, which began on July 29, is 40% contained and has burned more than 60,000 acres, according to CalFire. Kathy Shoopman began her lookout career as a Baldy Mountain Lookout in 1974, according to the National Parks Service. Throughout her career, she worked at Lake Mountain Lookout and held a position at Buckhorn Lookout since 1993. The Parks Service said she had lived in her Klamath community for more than five decades and enjoyed gardening and creating art. She was also described as an avid animal lover. …At least three others have been killed as the McKinney fire continues to burn through California. Now the state’s largest fire, the McKinney wildfire is one of several blazes currently threatening the Klamath National Forest, which extends slightly over the California border into Oregon. 

Read More

Two pilots killed in firefighting helicopter crash near Salmon, Idaho

By David K. Li
NBC News
July 22, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

SALMON, Idaho — Both pilots on board a helicopter that crashed Thursday afternoon in Lemhi County died, the sheriff confirmed Friday. The U.S. Forest Service said the CH-47D Series Chinook helicopter crashed at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, and came down in the Salmon River. The pilots were helping fight the Moose Fire, which has burned about 37 square miles southwest of North Fork. The pilots have been identified as 41-year-old Thomas Hayes of Post Falls, Idaho, and 36-year-old Jared Bird of Anchorage, Alaska. Lemhi County Sheriff Steve Penner said both the pilots were highly experienced and both were veterans. The pilots were employees of ROTAK Helicopter Services, which is based in Anchorage. “Company leadership asks for prayers and privacy on behalf of the involved families at this time,” the company said Thursday night in a written statement. …the pilots were extricated from the helicopter and taken to medical facilities, where they died from their injuries.

Read More

Protecting Yourself from the Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke

By Sarah Bardeen
Public Policy Institute of California
July 11, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

Lisa Patel

Wildfire season is upon us, and many Californians are wondering how to prevent health impacts from all that smoke. Dr. Lisa Patel, a pediatric hospitalist and assistant professor at Stanford, is an expert in the connections between children’s health and the environment. We asked Dr. Patel about wildfire’s impacts on human health—and what Californians can do to protect themselves. …Smoke affects the upper respiratory system—causing itchy eyes and throat—and the lower respiratory system—causing asthma and pneumonia. Over time, it can increase the risk of lung cancer. Wildfires also affect mental health: studies have found that being exposed to fires as child can have mental impacts down the line. And if you’re caught in a fire, of course there are immediate issues with burns and smoke inhalation. …we recommend N95 masks. …Close off a room with a portable air cleaner and stay inside.

Read More

Helicopter pilot helping Alaska firefighters dies in crash

By Mark Thiessen
Associated Press in the Washington Post
June 27, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

Douglas Ritchie

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A helicopter contracted to support firefighting efforts on an Interior Alaska blaze crashed after takeoff, killing the pilot, officials said Monday. The fatality was the first related to Alaska wildfires in 22 years. The pilot was identified as Douglas Ritchie, 56, of Wasilla, Alaska State Troopers said. He was the lone occupant in a 1960 Bell 204B “Huey” helicopter that crashed Sunday night after taking off from an airstrip near the community of Anderson, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) southwest of Fairbanks, officials said. Initial reports incorrectly said the crash occurred when the helicopter was landing, said Clint Johnson, head of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska division. “He was in the process of hauling, sling-loading some material out to a fire,” Johnson said. “We understand that he brought the helicopter up to a hover, and that’s when the accident took place.”

Read More

Business groups challenge Oregon rules meant to protect workers from heat, wildfire smoke

By Jamie Goldberg
The Oregonian
June 21, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US West

A coalition of Oregon business groups have filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s job site rules mandating that employers take steps to protect workers from extreme heat and wildfire smoke.  Regulations adopted in May by the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division lay out steps employers must take once the temperature or air quality reaches a certain threshold.  …Oregon Manufacturers and Commerce, Associated Oregon Loggers Inc. and the Oregon Forest & Industries Council, which together represent more than 1,000 Oregon companies and 50 forestland owners, are seeking an injunction to prohibit the state from enforcing the new rules. The groups filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Medford the day the first of the rules took effect, arguing they are unconstitutional.  The groups allege that several provisions in the new regulations are too vague to be fairly enforced and that the state’s workplace safety agency overstepped its statutory authority by adopting them in the first place.

Read More

Saskatchewan man’s video of close encounter with bear goes viral

By Ethan Williams
CBC News
June 9, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, US West

Curtis Matwishyn was hoping to snap a few photos of a young black bear in the forest near Waskesiu Lake, in northern Saskatchewan, earlier this month.  But the wildlife photographer soon found himself a bit too close for comfort to the animal. Matwishyn and his fiancée were driving back to Waskesiu, where he works as a wildland firefighter, looking for wildlife to take photos of. After spotting the bear amble into the meadow, Matwishyn followed it with his camera and phone, as well as a can of bear spray. After taking a few photos, the bear seemed to sense his presence.

 

Read More

Long-standing Antlers millwright has perfect safety record

Teal Jones Group
August 11, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

Alfred Jones

Alfred Jones has a simple safety philosophy – know what you can do safely, always ensure equipment is locked out, and watch for people working around you. Alfred has worked at Teal Jones Lumber in Antlers, Oklahoma for more than fifteen years without a recordable or lost time accident! Currently a millwright, his safety philosophy is simple. “You need to know what you can and can’t do without getting hurt by making sure that everything is locked-out properly when working on equipment.”  Alfred said that being safe is also about “watching other people… sometimes they can do things that could cause others to get hurt.”  He said that if he sees someone doing something unsafe, he will say something to them to hopefully prevent them from getting hurt. …Alfred is a great example of working safely.  We are proud to have Alfred on our Antlers’ Team!

Read More

North Carolina State University forestry and textile experts develop new prototype fire shelters

WRAL.com
July 4, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

— N.C. State textiles and forestry experts developed new “Fire Shelters” to protect firefighters caught in the middle of fast moving wildfires. July and August are the two most active months for wildfires, mostly in western states but they can occur anywhere, including the south east U.S. which includes North Carolina. …Joseph Roise, an NC State University professor of forestry and natural resources, says no such shelter is fire-proof. “But what we can do with material combinations is give more time to the person underneath the shelter,” he said. The new prototype shelters are different from many earlier fire-resistant shelters that looked more like pup tents. …Longer protection means more time for rescue efforts before flames engulf the shelters. They were tested inside NC State’s “Pyro-Dome” chamber. Inside the “Pyro-Dome”, the fire-shelter is surrounded by propane burners with flames reaching up to 302 degrees Fahrenheit.

Read More

A Florida county is quarantining after discovery of invasive Giant African land snail

By Zoe Sottile
CNN in KSLTV 5
July 3, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

A Florida county is under quarantine due to the discovery of a fast-growing population of invasive giant African land snails. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) confirmed there were giant African land snails in the New Port Richey area of Pasco County on June 23, according to FDACS’ website. The snails pose a health risk to humans because they carry a parasite called rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis, Christina Chitty, a public information director at FDACS, told CNN. They can produce up to 2,500 eggs per year, so the population is difficult to control. According to Chitty, the population in Pasco County likely originated from the illegal pet trade. …The snails are native to east Africa and can grow up to 8 inches long. …FDACS plans to spend three years eradicating the population in Pasco County, using the pesticide metaldehyde to treat the soil.

Read More

A federal loophole has left Maine in the dark on manufacturers’ PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) waste

By Erin Rhoda
Bangor Daily News
June 17, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: United States, US East

The public was supposed to learn …which Maine manufacturers are using PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and discharging the chemicals as waste, but a federal loophole has apparently allowed the facilities to evade reporting the information, fomenting anger about a federal inability to provide basic information related to a public health threat. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it will reverse the reporting loophole, which the Trump administration applied without public comment. …It is clear that some Maine paper mills have historically used the chemicals to make their products. …But it’s not clear what information Maine and the nation will get when details about PFAS are ultimately made public on the federal inventory. Now, with new rulemaking and additional rounds of reporting, it will likely be more than a year before the public sees any data.

 

Read More

Stinging tree may reveal new ways to treat chronic pain

By Katherine Bucko
Earth.com
July 29, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: International

A New Zealand stinging tree produces toxins that could hold clues for future pain medication, according to researchers at The University of Queensland. In a quest to find new molecules that affect pain pathways, Dr. Thomas Durek, Dr. Sam Robinson and a team from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience studied toxins from tree nettle – one of New Zealand’s most poisonous plants. This nettle species causes painful stings that can be fatal. The tree nettle toxins were found to activate pain receptors in a new way. …Fossil remains show that a large flightless bird known as the Moa would frequently eat the tree nettle. It’s likely that the strong toxins evolved to fend off the now-extinct bird. …Around the world, there are hundreds of tree nettles with stinging hairs. The researchers intend to study as many as possible to find new treatments for common pain. The goal is to tackle pain more effectively without side effects and addiction.

Read More

Chula’s Faculty of Engineering Pioneers the Use of Gamma Rays to Inspect Large Trees

By Chulalongkorn University
Newswise
June 20, 2022
Category: Health & Safety
Region: International

Bangkok, Thailand—Large trees standing tall for years might look healthy and strong, yet one cannot tell whether internally the trunks might already be hollow.  This can cause accidents of trees falling and injuring passersby… Associate Professor Nares Chankow and Dr. Manusavee Lohvithee, lecturers of Chula’s Department of Nuclear Technology, Faculty of Engineering, are developing a device for scanning trees using gamma rays to determine the density of the trunks making it the first and only such endeavor in Thailand. The procedure will help determine if the trees have become hollow because of decay, or have been eaten up by termites and white ants.  Other types of rays can also perform the task but x-rays would require the use of a generator which would require electrical currents and hence not very convenient to use. …the gamma-ray scanner has been designed to provide accurate and rapid results without destroying the trees.  

Read More

Excessive heat warning begins Monday, Portland temperatures near 100 likely through Thursday

Oregon Live
July 25, 2022
Category: Health & Safety

Hot, dry air moving westward from east of the Cascades along with a strong high pressure ridge will combine to keep Portland’s high temperatures searing through much of the week. While daytime highs likely won’t set any records, Portland will see some of the hottest temperatures so far this year, and a fairly long string of them as temps near 100 are likely Monday through at least Thursday. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning from noon Monday through 9 p.m. Thursday. Temperatures from 98-103 are possible. …Multnomah County and the City of Portland have issued emergency declarations ahead of this long stretch of high temperatures and are planning to open overnight cooling shelters as soon as Tuesday, in addition to providing other cooling options.

Read More

Feds fine companies in Orange City roof collapse that killed worker

By Patricio Balona
The Daytona Beach News Journal
June 2, 2022
Category: Health & Safety

Two construction companies from Orlando and Alabama were fined by federal officials in connection with a roof collapse at an Orange City Dollar General that killed a man and injured another in November. According to investigators with U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA, the companies failed to comply with building code requirements, and the manufacturer’s engineering specifications caused the roof trusses to collapse. …OSHA officials stated that Top Rank Construction, Inc., failed to follow safety standards. It also did not ensure that the roof trusses were braced to resist buckling, leaning or collapsing, according to federal labor investigators. …“Installing trusses safely requires that employers conduct a hazard assessment and address the hazards to properly protect workers,” Sanders stated. .OSHA investigators said they also determined that the worksite’s general contractor failed to protect workers from fall hazards.

Read More