The Wood Pellet Association of Canada’s (WPAC) Safety Committee has released its 2026–2028 Work Plan to strengthen safety culture across the wood pellet sector. The plan builds on over a decade of industry safety efforts and includes initiatives to be completed in 2026, such as finalizing a Rotary Drum Dryer safety report and issuing new winter trucking safety procedures. WPAC will hold its 2026 Safety Summit in Prince George, BC, June 9–10, featuring sessions on psychological well-being and ergonomic injury prevention. Other planned activities include a national webinar on safe pellet handling and storage. Ongoing work focuses on Process Safety Management (PSM) to tackle combustible wood dust risks, with a dedicated technical lead and coordinated risk assessments. WPAC also continues its Safety Hero recognition program for employees who promote workplace health and safety. The Committee welcomes new members and shares resources online.
Smoke from record-breaking Canadian wildfires in 2023 caused an estimated 5,400 acute deaths and about 82,100 premature deaths worldwide, a new study shows. The study 
It’s hard not to forget the 2023 Canadian wildfire season, when more than 16 million hectares of forest were lost, thousands were displaced and smoke suffocated cities across both Canada and the U.S. And it turns out Canada experienced its worst air pollution levels that year since 1998, according to a new report released today by the University of Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index (AQLI). At the same time, the report found that pollution levels didn’t change much for the rest of the world in 2023. If those levels continued for a person’s lifetime, the average Canadian would lose roughly two years of their life expectancy, according to the report. Efforts have been made around the world, including in Canada, to curb harmful emissions of fine particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, also known as PM 2.5. But wildfires are reversing those advances — with serious health consequences.
COWICHAN BAY, BC — Simon Fraser University researchers have uncovered concerning fibreglass contamination in a key estuary on Vancouver Island, raising concerns about how an as-yet overlooked contaminant could affect aquatic birds, marine life and coastal communities that rely on shellfish and seafood. A 
The Winter 2025 issue of WorkSafe Magazine is now available, featuring practical guidance and real-world examples to help employers and workers build safer, healthier workplaces. Learn how retailers are preventing common musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) through smarter layouts, ergonomic tools, and proactive training. Go behind the scenes of WorkSafeBC’s Student Safety Video Contest and discover what makes a safety message resonate. Get expert tips on assessing and supporting crane operators to improve safety, skills. See how early communication and collaborative return-to-work planning help injured workers recover while staying connected to the workplace. And don’t miss the Western Conference on Safety 2025 — Vancouver, April 20 & 21
PRINCE GEORGE, BC — On the anniversary of the Babine Forest Products mill explosion, the United Steelworkers union is remembering the two workers killed and the more than 20 others injured in the 2012 tragedy, while welcoming long-overdue reforms to BC’s combustible dust safety regulations. Fourteen years ago, two workers went to work at the Babine sawmill near Burns Lake, BC, and did not return home after a powerful explosion caused by combustible wood dust. The disaster remains one of the deadliest industrial workplace tragedies in the province’s history. …At its November 2025 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved significant amendments to Part 6 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation to modernize how combustible dust hazards are regulated in BC. …The new requirements include mandatory combustion risk assessments, written combustible dust management programs, stronger controls on ignition sources and dust accumulation, and enhanced training and worker consultation. The amendments will come into force on Jan. 4, 2027.
The Cache
At its November 2025 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and the Prevention Manual. The amendments relate to 
The December issue of Forest Safety News is here, bringing timely insights and practical tools for safer forestry work this winter. One standout feature explores how RPAS drones are transforming field safety, reducing worker exposure during steep-slope layout, post-fire assessments, and difficult terrain navigation. It’s a look at technology that’s not just impressive — it’s making real crews safer in real time. This issue also recaps the 18th Annual Vancouver Island Safety Conference, where powerful keynote speakers shared stories of perseverance, leadership, and the importance of mental and physical well-being. The message was clear: safety culture is built person by person, conversation by conversation. You’ll also find a useful update on winter driving and hauling preparedness, including tips for planning routes, managing changing conditions, and supporting drivers during the toughest season of the year. Packed with practical advice, inspiring stories, and forward-looking innovations, this issue offers a strong finish to 2025 for BC’s forest sector.
Each year, the BC Forest Safety Council honours individuals who go above and beyond to make forestry safer for everyone. Since 2008, the Leadership in Safety Awards have recognised outstanding contributions in three key areas: harvesting, manufacturing and lifetime achievement. These awards honour people who lead by example—those who bring fresh ideas, foster a strong safety culture and consistently put the well-being of others first. …Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients! Your leadership, care and commitment continue to make BC’s forestry industry safer and stronger. Nominations for the 2026 Leadership in Safety Awards open on January 12, 2026.
WorkSafeBC has fined the Provincial Government over $750,000 in connection with a pair of incidents involving the BC Wildfire Service that date back to 2023. An administrative penalty of $759,369 was levied on Sept. 25 following investigations into the two incidents – one of which led to the death of a firefighter near Fort St. John, while the other could have killed or injured multiple firefighters in the North Shuswap. In that North Shuswap incident, previous inspection reports by WorkSafeBC determined that a group of five Brazilian firefighters became “trapped by extreme fire behavior” during a planned ignition. …WorkSafeBC determined that a lack of planning, training, and communication were all contributing factors. …The other incident dates back to July 28, 2023, when 25-year-old firefighter, Zak Muise, was killed while fighting the Donnie Creek fire. WorkSafeBC determined that neither worker was wearing a helmet, the passenger had not been using a seatbelt, and the passenger-side retention netting had been damaged.
There’s been a cool edge to the air the last week or so. You may have noticed something else in the air, too — smoke. Unfortunately for those with health conditions like respiratory problems and heart disease, and for those who don’t want to develop them, two jurisdictions in the Cowichan Valley still allow at least some backyard burning, and wood burning appliances are still common everywhere in the Cowichan Valley Regional District. The Town of Ladysmith, City of Duncan and Town of Lake Cowichan have completely banned backyard burning. The Municipality of North Cowichan has cut back on what it allows, but there are still large swaths of territory within its boundaries where lighting up a burn pile is still allowed. … Cowichan’s transfer stations accept yard waste free of charge, so people can take their debris there instead of lighting it up. So consider your alternatives, and the people around you before you burn. Smoke travels.
Does your workplace safety program include steps to reduce the risks your drivers face when driving on the job in winter? It needs to. Your safety responsibilities don’t change with the seasons. But you do need to address the additional driving hazards created by winter road and weather conditions. Some of the biggest hazards for log haulers include:
Since Aug. 11, the Bamfield Main Road has been closed. …When the Mount Underwood wildfire broke out, that road had to be closed because of a blaze raging nearby. …Bamfield-area residents have to travel more than four hours to get to Port Alberni. …Another point of frustration for the people on the other side of the closure is the existence of a logging road owned by Mosaic Forest Management, a section of that road goes around the Bamfield Main Road closure. Harrison said she and a small group of other people drove the road to check it out. …”The Youbou Road is 100 times worse than that little 20-minute bypass road,” claimed resident Sherry Harrison. …The ministry said the road owned by Mosaic is private and public use is up to the discretion of the company, but added those logging roads were not built and are not maintained for public use.
REVELSTOKE, BC — A BC forestry worker was fatally injured while on the job last week, an industry safety group said Tuesday. “A skidder operator was fatally injured when their skidder rolled down a steep slope in an area north of Revelstoke,” the BC Forest Safety Council said of the Sept. 16 incident. “WorkSafeBC and the Coroners Service are currently investigating this incident.” It’s the fifth harvesting fatality in 2025 and BC Forestry said details are still to be determined. Contributing factors to the incident are not available during an ongoing investigation. The BC Forest Safety Council said they have several safety points to be considered as the process unfolds. Those include a thorough assessment before work begins to prepare operators for steep slope logging operations. …Maintain safety buffers by not operating on the steepest possible slopes. This helps operators recover when surprised by an unexpected event.
There are fresh calls for an alternative route to the west coast of Vancouver Island after it emerged the main route between Port Alberni and Bamfield, B.C., is closed indefinitely. …The only alternative is a logging road detour through Youbou in the Cowichan Valley. …Ditidaht First Nation Chief Councillor Judi Thomas said she hopes the province will go further and redesignate the forest service industrial road as a provincial road and fast-track investment. But the Ministry of Transportation and Transit said, “there is mixed ownership of the road(s) in this area, but all are private industrial roads, and the ministry has no plans to take over the ownership”. …The province says it’s working with Mosaic Forest Management, which is responsible for maintaining 15 kilometres of Bamfield Road, to beef up maintenance on the detour road . …D’Arcy Henderson, Mosaic’s chief operating officer, said it was working with stakeholders on maintaining that detour route.
In this edition of Forest Safety News you’ll find these stories and more:
The Province of B.C. is lending its expertise to Mosaic Forest Management as it develops plans to reopen the Bamfield Main Road, sections of which were rendered unsafe due to the Mt. Underwood wildfire. “We recognize the importance of Bamfield Road to the Huu‑ay‑aht First Nation and area residents,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit. “There is substantial work necessary … to reopen Bamfield Road. Ensuring the safety of the travelling public is the top priority, and the Province will continue to support to Mosaic throughout this process.” Initial engineering assessments have determined a section of the Bamfield Road managed by Mosaic is unsafe for all traffic, prompting Mosaic to close the route with a section of the road being defined as a No Work Zone by BC Wildfire Services. Falling rocks, dangerous trees and a fire-damaged slope are presenting exceptionally challenging conditions, and there is no timeline for reopening the road in its current configuration.
PRINCE GEORGE, BC — Canfor Pulp has been fined after a worker seriously injured their hand in an unguarded piece of machinery. WorkSafeBC issued the $489,104 penalty on July 10 following an inspection at the company’s Northwood Pulp Mill in April. According to the inspection report, a worker was injured on the fifth floor by a hydraulic cylinder that cycles every 64 seconds, “dropping rapidly down” into a metal box. …The agency determined the firm failed to ensure its machinery and equipment was fitted with adequate safeguards to protect workers from hazardous points of operation. …Canfor spokesperson Mina Laudan said a contract worker sustained a hand injury in the incident. “We deeply regret that a worker was injured at our site. It is our responsibility to provide a safe working environment,” said Laudan. “Following the injury, we took immediate steps to safeguard the equipment that was involved in the incident.”
THUNDER BAY — The source of the bad smell detected across a broad section of the city last week remains unconfirmed. Residents of various neighbourhoods contacted the fire department and Enbridge gas the morning of Jan. 7 to report an unpleasant odour in the air. A spokesperson for the ministry of the environment, conservation and parks says it investigated after a complaint was filed with the Spills Action Centre. “No incidents or spills were reported to the ministry (that were) linked to the odour,” he told Newswatch, adding that the ministry would follow up if it received any new information. The spokesperson also said Thunder Bay Pulp & Paper confirmed it was operating normally at the time the bad smell occurred.
Thunder Bay – For more than 100 years, the pulp and paper mill in Dryden has been the most important building in this small city in northwestern Ontario. It was the engine of the local economy, providing jobs for generations and connecting Dryden to a larger network of forest products that includes Thunder Bay and other communities in the area. But the same industrial complex also caused one of Canada’s worst environmental disasters. In the 1960s and 1970s, a chlor-alkali plant that was part of the mill dumped an estimated 9,000 to 10,000 kilograms (about 10 metric tons) of mercury into the English–Wabigoon River system. …People have lived with symptoms of mercury poisoning for generations, including Minamata disease. Commercial fishing was stopped, and guiding jobs disappeared. The main question is still painfully unanswered decades later: Who should pay to clean up the river, fix the land, and help the people who were hurt?
Quebec’s workers’ safety board (CNESST) concluded that driving a forestry vehicle that had no seat belt or complete door contributed to the death of a worker in Saint-Côme-Linière, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. The forestry worker died in a workplace accident on Jan. 6 while reversing a vehicle known as a skidder, according to the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST). During the maneuver, the vehicle backed up onto the stump of a felled tree, causing vibrations that ejected the worker from the cab. The man was crushed by the front wheel of the skidder. In its report, the CNESST concluded that “operating a skidder that is not equipped with seat belts or full doors violates section 21 of the Regulation respecting occupational health and safety in forest development work.”
Wildfires have increased in frequency and severity over the past few decades. More fires are burning at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where homes and other buildings meet the natural landscape—but our understanding of emissions from structure fires is still growing. New research led by the University of Colorado Boulder’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences shows that common synthetic materials used in homes, like plastics and insulation, can release harmful compounds into the air when they burn. But synthetic materials make up only a small fraction of a home. Timber and wood panels make up the majority of the materials used, and the burning emissions from those are not so different from a vegetation fire. The work, 
Supporters of the “Make America Healthy Again” strategy have long railed against pesticides, making opposition to them a pillar of the movement. But an executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump last week collides with that long-held stance. The order states that glyphosate … is “central to American economic and national security” and calls for an adequate domestic supply. Glyphosate inhibits protein synthesis in plants and microorganisms, leading to their death. Scientists can genetically modify field crops — choosing which survive after glyphosate treatment. US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a key figure in the MAHA movement, has long opposed glyphosate-based pesticides. …He reiterated last month on Katie Miller’s podcast that “I believe glyphosate causes cancer.” But Kennedy sounded a different tone. “Donald Trump’s executive order puts America first where it matters most — our defense readiness and our food supply,” said Kennedy.
Chronic exposure to pollution from wildfires has been linked to tens of thousands of deaths annually in the United States, according to a new study. The paper found that from 2006 to 2020, long-term exposure to tiny particulates from wildfire smoke contributed to an average of 24,100 deaths a year in the lower 48 states. “Our message is: Wildfire smoke is very dangerous. It is an increasing threat to human health,” said Yaguang Wei, a study author and assistant professor in the department of environmental medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. …“It’s only if we’re doing multiple studies with many different designs that we gain scientific confidence of our outcomes,” said Michael Jerrett, professor of environmental health science at the University of California, Los Angeles. The paper’s researchers focused on deaths linked to chronic exposure to fine particulate matter, or PM2.5 — the main concern from wildfire smoke.
The 
BOSTON — Susan Abookire, an internist and professor at Harvard Medical School, had a cure for all that ailed me. But I was going to have a difficult time getting her prescription filled at CVS. …I was participating, somewhat skeptically, in a forest bathing session Abookire was leading at Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum for seven young doctors. It’s part of resident training at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which is looking for ways to reduce stress and burnout within the profession. …Before I looked into forest bathing, I had feared it might be another goofy wellness fad like Gwyneth Paltrow’s jade eggs and Tucker Carlson’s genital tanning. But here was a doctor from a top medical school guiding some of the brightest young medical minds into the woods. …So I did what the doctor ordered. I introduced myself to a mushroom. [to access the full story a Washington Post subscription is required]
Ten lawsuits have been filed against Drax after diagnoses of asthma allegedly linked to its wood pellet fuel, it has been revealed. Current and former workers at the UK’s largest power station claim they have not been adequately protected against sustained exposure to wood dust, which can cause serious health problems including asthma, dermatitis and nasal cancer. Six compensation claims were settled out of court and four have trial dates in 2026, an investigation by Land and Climate Review found. A class action lawsuit was also filed against the company this month over health concerns in the US, representing 700 people who live near one of Drax’s wood pellet mills in Mississippi. The company is also being investigated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority over “historical statements” made about its wood pellet fuel. 
The US Forest Service will begin providing wildfire crews with masks to protect against smoke, reversing a decades-long policy banning protective gear after The NY Times spotlighted severe health impacts from smoke exposure. For decades, federal wildland firefighters were not given masks, even as researchers and labor groups warned of the long-term risks, the Times found. The Forest Service said masks could cause firefighters to overheat. …The agency now recommends masks for light use, though still bans it for arduous work. …FireRescue1 readers respond: “The policy is preposterous. No one makes such excuses for structural firefighting, where the heat load is much, much greater.” …“Heat stress is a short-term condition that can be immediately remedied by mandatory rest and work cycle adjustment. Lung issues usually last forever. A better respirator that is slimmer, lighter and maintainable needs to be created and the forest service needs to use them.
FREMONT, Nebraska — Fremont wood processor Horizon Biofuels will be fined up to $147,500 by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration for “willful and serious safety violations after a deadly explosion at the company’s Fremont facility in July 2025,” the US Department of Labor announced. Horizon has until Feb. 19 to decide whether it wants to appeal the citation, according to a spokesperson with the Kansas City OSHA office. …The explosion killed 32-year-old employee Dylan Danielson and his two daughters, both under the age of 12. The violations include “combustible dust buildup, failure to ensure equipment within the facility was protected from creating an ignition source and lack of fall protection for employees working at heights greater than four feet,” the Department of Labor said. …The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office also has a pending investigation. 
Smoke from wildfires causes a cascade of changes in the proteins in the blood of firefighters, according to a groundbreaking study by researchers from the University of Arizona School of Public Health. The researchers found 60 different changes in blood proteins in samples taken from 42 firefighters who battled the Los Angeles wildfires that charred 23,000 acres and forced 10,000 people to flee their homes. Those changes in serum proteome are associated with a potential increased risk of cancer, abnormal cell growth, immune system dysfunction and inflammatory response. …The findings are the latest to highlight the health risks facing wildland firefighters, who for decades have actually been barred from wearing protective masks on the fire lines for fear it would limit their work and lead to overheating. The Forest Service recently shifted its policy to allow firefighters to wear masks if they choose.
A firefighter from Minnesota died Friday while helping the United States Forest Service with a controlled burn in Idaho, officials say. The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) says Isabella Oscarson had been struck by a falling tree while assisting the U.S. Forest Service’s Tinker Bugs with a prescribed fire in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. She was evacuated from the scene and flown to a hospital in Grangeville, Idaho, where she later died. Oscarson was a seasonal employee with the IDL. “IDL extends its deepest sympathies to Isabella’s family and friends. This is a tragedy that hits the employees at Idaho Department of Lands and the broader wildland fire community extremely hard,” Dustin Miller, director of IDL, said. Idaho Gov. Brad Little ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor Oscarson until the day following her memorial service.
Construction in New York City is one of the most dynamic and demanding industries in the country — but it’s also one of the most dangerous. …That’s why innovation in building materials and methods can have a real impact not only on efficiency and sustainability but also on safety. One such innovation, mass timber, is gaining traction. …Mass timber components are prefabricated in controlled factory settings. This approach greatly reduces the need for tasks like cutting, welding, or mixing concrete on-site — tasks that are commonly associated with jobsite injuries. …Additionally, since large panels arrive ready to install, crews spend less time working at height, which directly reduces the risk of falls — the leading cause of construction fatalities in the U.S., according to OSHA’s fall protection guidelines. …It also means a reduced need for powered hand tools and high-decibel equipment, lowering the risk of accidents related to hand injuries or communication breakdowns.
GLOSTER, Miss. — A group of Gloster residents has filed a federal lawsuit against Drax Biomass and its subsidiaries, alleging that the company’s Amite BioEnergy wood pellet facility in the town has unlawfully released massive amounts of toxic pollutants into their community, violating the federal Clean Air Act and Mississippi law. According to a statement from the law firm that filed the claim, Singleton Schreiber, the lawsuit seeks “injunctive relief, civil penalties, and damages for the harm plaintiffs have suffered, including diminished property values, and the loss of safe use and enjoyment of their homes.” Drax responded to inquiries with the following statement: “We are aware of the lawsuit filed in Mississippi. While we cannot comment on the details of ongoing legal matters, our commitment to the communities where we operate remains unchanged. We strive to be a good neighbor in our communities and to support their wellbeing and prosperity.”
Mechanization has reduced fatal injuries for loggers in the northeastern United States but introduced new health risks linked to prolonged equipment use, according to interviews with 29 loggers across New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Participants reported concerns over weight gain, back pain, and cardiovascular risks from extended sedentary work, as well as mental stress from financial burdens and limited access to affordable health insurance. The findings come 
Running along Brazil’s coastline, the Atlantic Forest supports an extraordinary range of life, including hundreds of species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and fishes. Much of that richness has been lost. Human development has reduced the forest to roughly one third of its original size. As people move deeper into once intact habitats, wildlife is pushed out, and mosquitoes that once fed on many different animals appear to be shifting their attention toward humans, according to a study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. …Scientists extracted DNA from the blood inside the mosquitoes and sequenced a specific gene that works like a biological barcode. …Mosquito bites are not just a nuisance. In the regions studied, mosquitoes spread viruses such as Yellow Fever, dengue, Zika, Mayaro, Sabiá, and Chikungunya.
Choking smoke spewed by wildfires is far more dangerous than previously thought, a new study has found, with death tolls from short-term exposure to fine particulates underestimated by 93%. Researchers found that 535 people in Europe died on average each year between 2004 and 2022 as a result of breathing in the tiny toxic particles known as PM2.5 that are released when wildfires rage. Under standard methods, which assume PM2.5 from wildfires is as deadly as from other sources, such as traffic, they would have expected just 38 deaths a year. The study comes as wildfires ravage southern Europe, and new data from EU fire monitors shows that 895,000 hectares (2.2m acres) have burned so far in 2025, breaking records for this time of year. “Our paper shows the health impact for the same amount of particles is stronger for wildfire particles,” said Prof Cathryn Tonne, an environmental epidemiologist and co-author of the study.
That fading receipt in your wallet might be more of a problem than you think. For decades, the thermal paper industry, a market valued at around $2 billion, has relied on a chemical cocktail that includes Bisphenol A (BPA). Yes, that is the same BPA that parents worry about in baby bottles and water jugs. It mimics estrogen, messing with our hormones in ways we are only just beginning to understand. While regulators in the EU have cracked down on BPA, manufacturers can pivot to “alternatives” like Bisphenol S (BPS). It sounds different, but chemically, it is the same wolf in sheep’s clothing, exhibiting toxicological properties eerily similar to the villain it replaced. Now, in a new study, researchers have developed a safer, sustainable alternative to BPA-laden thermal paper using “washed” lignin from wood and sugar derivatives. The result is a receipt that prints clearly without disrupting your hormones.