Category Archives: Health & Safety

…In our valley (Nelson), smoke is becoming more prevalent. In winter wood stoves continually belch out a toxic brew especially when choked down and burning inefficiently. Fire mitigation now smokes out spring and fall. Campfires from provincial parks and forest fires fill in the summer months. Factor in private property owners burning green slash from wind events like that of Jan. 13 and it is getting seriously unhealthy around here. …I wish we could re-imagine our burning addiction and consider alternatives like leaving small material on the ground. Pile but don’t burn slash, or mulch and allow to decompose. This locks up the carbon rather than dumping it into the atmosphere. Encourage heat pump use, they are cheaper than burning wood and healthier. Establish smoke free zones in campgrounds. Public cigarettes smoking isn’t acceptable and neither should other types of smoke be.

VANCOUVER, BC — Pinnacle Renewable Energy announced it has received notice of regulatory charges laid by Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) following their investigation of the explosion which resulted in injuries at the Company’s plant in Entwistle, AB on February 11, 2019. …Pinnacle’s Chief Executive Officer Duncan Davies… “We regret the impact of this incident on those who were injured, their co-workers and the Entwistle community.” Pinnacle cooperated fully with OHS, and other government agencies during the investigation to understand the unique circumstances leading up to the incident. …The Entwistle plant resumed operations on March 29, 2019 following approval from OHS and local authorities. The Company has not yet received any details or basis for the charges.

…Residential wood burning is one of the main human-caused sources of fine-particulate pollution in B.C., particularly during the winter months, when people burn more wood to heat their homes. By some reports, it accounts for up to 15 per cent of this type of air pollution in the province and produces as much as 25 per cent of fine-particle pollution in Metro Vancouver, the Cowichan Valley and other communities where surrounding mountains and temperature inversions trap bad air. …In Duncan, for example, old stoves must be removed when a house is sold, and only up-to-date wood-burning appliances are allowed in new construction. …A 2019 Comox bylaw outright prohibits wood stoves in all construction. And this year, if you use a wood-burning fireplace or stove in your Metro Vancouver home between May 15 and Sept. 15, you could be fined $10,000 for each day you flout the new bylaw. 

The Wood Pellet Association of Canada, in co-operation with the BC Forest Safety Council, WorkSafeBC and media partner Canadian Biomass, held the Belt Dryer Symposium on Nov. 25, 2020. As belt dryers have become more common, the pellet industry has experienced several safety incidents over the past few years. The purpose of the Belt Dryer Safety Symposium was to share the learnings from these incidents and for individual operators to share in-house safe operating procedures with their industry colleagues. The symposium included presentations from all the operators of belt dryers in British Columbia. … Comparisons were done between direct versus indirect energy systems and Bill Laturnus, senior safety advisor at the BC Forest Safety Council, examined the use of process safety bowtie analysis as a means of systematically identifying and managing critical controls. All the incidents that were discussed had occurred in direct-fired dryer systems.

COURTENAY, B.C. — A 25-metre barge that sank near the Port McNeill ferry dock last month will likely remain where it rests until early February. The Alaska Plaza was docked at the Port McNeill marina when it ran into difficulties on Dec. 24. The vessel sank, causing the nearby 15-metre Sea Lander barge to break free of its moorings and float into the harbour’s breakwater. …While some contaminants were released from the barge, there are currently no emergent environmental issues. …Adams says the barges… are owned by the Croman Corporation out of White City, Oregon. The company is listed online as a helicopter logging operation. …”It has yet to be determined what the cause was,” Hanan says. …”They had been denied access from Western (Forest) Products to use their docks,” Adams says. “Then they just tied up to our docks. They didn’t ask permission, they just did it,” she says.

…folks in Canada’s small towns and rural communities should be relishing the benefits of fresh, clean air. But rather the opposite is true, said Michael Mehta, a professor of geography and environmental studies at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C. Many rural residents’ health is at significant risk due to high levels of airborne pollutants from wood-burning stoves, both indoors and out, said Mehta, who specializes in environmental and health risk issues. “People in the rural parts of Canada should have some of the cleanest air in the country,” said Mehta. “But, actually, some have polluted air that is considerably worse than any city, and wood stoves are the main contributor.” It’s not unusual for households in small and rural communities to use wood stoves to heat their homes in the winter months, but they come with detrimental effects to human health and the environment, he said. 

Five patients are being rushed to hospital from the scene of a serious collision on Highway 97A just south of Enderby. BCEHS spokesperson Shannon Miller says the crash required a multi-unit response, including four ground ambulances and two helicopters, which landed at the scene.  “Paramedics are currently still on scene, but are transporting five patients. Two patients are being airlifted by helicopter to hospital in critical condition. Three additional patients are being transported by ground ambulance – two in serious condition and one in stable condition.” It’s believed the airlifted patients are being taken to Kelowna General Hospital, where a Code Orange mass casualty alert has reportedly been issued. [A later update reports] Highway 97A reopened following a serious collision this morning, one kilometre south of Enderby. DriveBC confirms the road has been clear between Canyon and Fortune Roads. No word on the incident at this time. 

I feel so blessed to live in this beautiful place in British Columbia, surrounded by mountains and river areas to explore! However, every year there are tragedies that serve as a reminder that these beautiful places can also be deadly. If you are traveling on a Forest Service Road (FSR) then there are a few basic things you should know when going. First of all, FSRs usually exist because of logging, hydro, or other industrial traffic needing to access the area. These companies often deactivate the roads when they are finished, either by blocking access with gates and boulders, or by adding cross ditches that most vehicles cannot make it through. The main thing to remember is that the industrial traffic always has the right of way. [This] is a brochure from BC Forest Safe with some great tips and planning information for traveling on Forestry Road.

A recent collision between a logging truck and a Ford F-350 on a forest service road near Invermere is shining a light on the importance of backroad safety and communication in B.C. …Search and Rescue, contracting companies and locals calling for the use of radios on active forest service/resource roads. No one was injured in this particular incident, according to reports. FSRs and RRs are primarily used by industrial vehicles. As the Province of B.C. website states, these roads are used for vehicles engaged in mining, forestry, oil and gas or agriculture operations. They also provide access to many recreational opportunities. …“Logging trucks are all talking to one another. If you’re in a little car and the trucks don’t know you’re there, they will come barrelling down the road. And they have the right of way,” Rizzardo said.

Ronna Schneberger

Free ‘forest baths’ are being prescribed for stressed-out health care workers. The B.C. Parks Foundation hopes to provide 90-minute guided sessions for as many as 10,000 health care workers in B.C. starting in January. The idea is inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. Research has shown that walking in nature results in medically recognized improvements in immune function and stress reduction. The foundation, which recently raised $1.7 million to save West Ballenas Island in the Salish Sea, has a goal of raising $250,000 from the public for the forest-bathing program, said Andrew Day, the foundation’s CEO. Donations are set at $25 which covers the cost of one session for one health care worker. Nature guides are donating a portion of their time to support the gift. Day said, “It’s for specific gratitude to B.C. health care professions and to our parks.  Both of those things have kept British Columbians healthy.”

Haleigh Callison

A 36-year-old, former professional hockey player from Smithers is sharing her personal experience of battling a severe case of COVID-19. Haleigh Callison hoped going public would … help quiet at least some of the pandemic-denial… when she saw recent social media posts by people claiming the pandemic was just a hoax or no worse than the regular flu, she was prompted to act …Callison tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 10. …She said she was extremely sick for a total of two weeks with symptoms including: throwing up, constant nausea, body aches and pains, diarrhea, headaches, loss of appetite, scary and bad thoughts and dreams, trouble sleeping. …As a lumber trader with Olympic Industries in Vancouver, she said fortunately her job lends itself to working from home… “I’m really fortunate, my company is very supportive and ultimately made it clear I have to take care of myself before anything else,” she said.

The winter driving season is fast approaching! The Shift Into Winter safety campaign is an annual event that reminds all drivers what they can do to prepare to be safe on snowy and icy roads.  Review the following information (17 tips in total) and share it with your co-workers.

Prepare Yourself
1.    Check the current road conditions and weather forecast. Use the DriveBC.ca website to check conditions. Do a risk assessment and ask yourself – is it safe to go?

2.    Plan your route. Avoid any roads that may become dangerous during bad weather. Use a check-in system and provide details on your route and planned arrival time.

Prepare Your Vehicle
1.    Install winter tires. Use four matched winter tires that carry the mountain/snowflake winter tire symbol and with tread no less than 3.5 mm – even for 4 X 4 vehicles. Tires marked with an M+S (Mud and Snow) are also acceptable but do not provide the same degree of performance. Consider studded tires if you are regularly driving on icy roads.

2.    Get your car winter ready with a maintenance check up. Preventative maintenance is key. Change your wipers to winter blades, they are heavier to handle snow and ice.

Drive for the Conditions
1.    Maintain a safe following distance. Look ahead and keep plenty of distance between you and other vehicles (at least 4 seconds). This will allow plenty of room in situations where you may need to brake suddenly. Leave more space when visibility is poor.

2.    Drop your speed to match road conditions. The posted speed is the maximum speed under ideal conditions. In winter, it is safer to drive below the posted speed.

A lumber firm has been fined just under $16,000 over the deaths of two workers who were crushed to death at its lumber yard in New Westminster, B.C. Two men, both in their 60s, were killed after being buried beneath a load of lumber at United Gateway Logistics Inc. on Jan. 23, 2016. There were no witnesses to the incident and it was left to investigators to figure out what had happened. Nearly five years later, WorkSafeBC has finished its investigation into the incident. It said the men had been replacing broken straps on a bundle of lumber, which was beneath a number of other bunches of wood. The entire stack toppled and fell on the workers, who were later identified as Yun Zhao Yang, 60, and Guiming Chen, 65. Both died at the scene. WorkSafe BC found multiple stacks across the lumber yard weren’t stable.

Two new COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported in the Peace Country. Alberta Health says the Grande Prairie Norbord mill is one, along with what’s referred to as a sport cohort in Fairview. …Alberta has recorded a record 919 COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours. The province reported the new daily record Saturday, breaking the previous record of around 800 cases set on November 4th. …The city and county, as well as the Municipal Districts of Fairview and Peace are all on the province’s “watch” list, meaning the extension of the 15 person social gathering limit is in place for those communities.

RICHMOND, B.C. – The Transportation Safety Board says a track failure contributed to the derailment of a freight train in northern British Columbia in January. No one was hurt when 34 cars carrying wood pellets on the Canadian National Railway Co. train left the tracks between the communities of Smithers and Terrace. The board’s report on the incident says video and audio evidence from the train strongly suggests a sudden track failure occurred. The report says testing on the same stretch of tracks in July and September 2019 showed the number of “deviations” in the width between the tracks had increased along that section. The agency says the weight and number of railcars travelling on the route sped up the deterioration of the track before the derailment. CN Rail says in a statement it is reviewing the board’s report but has already increased and enhanced its automated track inspection program to detect and improve track conditions.

PRINCE GEORGE–An employee of a contractor working on a site at Northwood Pulp Mill has tested positive for COVID-19.  Canfor has confirmed the cases saying in a statement, “an employee of a contractor who was working on-site at Northwood Pulp Mill has tested positive for COVID-19. That person is now recovering at home.”  “Contact tracing was immediately conducted, which included Canfor Pulp and contractor employees, and as a result eight people are now in quarantine for 14 days. Cleaning protocols were also put in place quickly.”–Statement by Canfor.  Canfor adds that their “top priority” is the health and safety of their employees, adding that since the start of the pandemic COVID-19 protocols have been in place to help protect employees. [End of Story]

According to provincial forest pathologist Harry Kope (British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development), one of the world’s most dangerous mushrooms has been found growing in Comox. “I have been informed that what appears to be Amanita phalloides (Death cap mushroom) has been found fruiting in Comox, close to Filberg Park,” reads the email, sent by Kope to a local community health network. “This is a first finding of the mushroom outside of greater Vancouver and Victoria. “Death cap mushrooms are a high health risk in urbananized environments. Death cap mushrooms are extremely poisonous and closely resemble some edible mushroom from Asia. Eating them may lead to liver and kidney damage, or death. People should educate themselves to keep their children and pets away from this species.”

Three British Columbia firefighters who contracted COVID-19 while in California battling wildfires likely spread the virus to 13 colleagues who tested positive after returning to the province. According to B.C. Wildfire Information Officer Forrest Tower, all 16 individuals are under quarantine at a Richmond hotel and one other facility in the city. None are seriously ill. …Tower said it’s not known how the initial three became infected. …U.S. Forest Service’s Stanton Florea says the work done by the Canadians was crucial in helping contain the North Complex fire during a recent wind storm.  “We had 30- to 50-mile-an-hour winds and the line that the crews from Canada helped construct actually held,” he said. “So they did great work for us and it’s very much appreciated.”

Sixteen B.C. firefighters tested positive for COVID-19 after returning in October from assisting with fires in California, the BC Wildfire Service confirmed Monday. Forrest Tower, BC Wildfire Service communication and engagement specialist, told Black Press Media the 16 people who tested positive are all staying in a facility in Richmond, B.C. that is designated for COVID-19 quarantining. “There are about 169 firefighters in total that are in Richmond quarantining right now who are following the recommendations of the public health authority,” he said Monday. …Symptoms experienced by the firefighters who tested positive warranted them getting tested, but nothing that has required hospitalization, Tower noted.

B.C.’s 2019 workplace death rate matched a record high of 203 set six years ago, with two thirds of those accepted as WorkSafeBC claims at a cost of almost $1.34 billion, a jump of $113 million. The rate dropped in 2015 but has crept back up as the number of injuries increased year over year, the report from B.C.’s workplace health and safety regulator said. …The construction sector is B.C.’s deadliest, with 33 deaths in 2019, general construction leading the way with 30 deaths. Transportation and warehousing saw 25 deaths, manufacturing 24, public administration 21, the service sector 19 and retail and wholesale trade one each. The forestry sector leads primary resource industries for 2019 deaths at eight, followed by oil, gas and mineral resource (3), fishing (2) and agriculture (1). …WorkSafeBC covers 2.51 million workers at 249,336 registered, insured employers.

An investigation is ongoing following the death of a worker at a Hinton, Alta. pulp mill on Monday that prompted a stop work order for a scaffolding contractor.  A spokesperson for the province’s ministry of labour and immigration confirmed in an email that a worker fatality at the West Fraser Mills Hinton site was reported to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) on the evening of Oct. 5th.  A stop work order was issued to AlumaSafway — a scaffolding company that was a contractor at the site — for inadequate fall protection, according to the province.   The OHS investigation is ongoing.  In an emailed statement, an AlumaSafway spokesperson confirmed that Norman Hatami was the worker who died.  “Norman was a highly respected member of the AlumaSafway team, and his passing represents an enormous personal loss to us, his family, and his loved ones,” said Karla Cuculi, vice president of communications.