Flood watch

[jdtesluk]

I was out with a few planter crews this week, just as the heavy rains started up. Please everyone be mindful of the dangers of heavy run-off. Planters are often shocked to learn that the leading cause of death among silviculture workers is asphyxiation by drowning. Note- C.O.D. is different than "meachanism of injury" which is often a motor vehicle accident. We have had several vehicles and quads end up in the water, with tragic consequences. We have also lost workers trying to cross creeks by foot, traverse water in ATVs, and falling off river banks.

Please take extra time to drive carefully in these periods of high run-off, and remember that it can take as little as 8 inches of water to float a car, and crossing any water knee deep or deeper is highly risky.

Remember, the bridges you cross on the way to work, may not be there on the way back, so make sure your communication devices are working properly and are fully charged!

If you can't stay dry, at least stay warm, and rookies, dig a good trench around your tent, but make sure it doesn't drain right into someone else's tent :)

[Scooter]

This video illustrates the severity of rain storms while planting:






And on a less ominous note, here's a video about the importance of having good rain gear:

[jdtesluk]

The bridge shot stirs some frightening thoughts.

[Mike]

When/where was the footage of most of those washouts taken?

[Scooter]

July 20th to 30th, roughly? There were two separate storms, about three days about. Those were south and west of Whitecourt, but the whole northwestern Alberta region was pounded with rain. There were places where logs were flowing across the Yellowhead (highway 16).

It wasn't nearly as bad as the rains in July of 2011, but they were more intense for the three or four days that it rained hard.

[jdtesluk]

Probably a good time to talk to the crew about the dangers associated with rapidly rising waters. If you're a crew leader, you should be familiar with some of the unfortunate history in silviculture with workers losing their lives to washed out bridges, fast-moving creeks, and other water hazards. Asphyxiation by drowning is the leading cause of death in silviculture. For those of us with long histories in the industry, there are names of people we have known that we can associate with this surprising fact.

With the warm temperatures, late snow, and sudden rain, we have water courses changing very quickly. Just a few thoughts to discuss in your morning meeting.

>Evalutate and re-evaluate your block access- what is there in the morning may not be there in the afternoon. Make sure to have good emergency communications.

>Take no chances---just a half a foot of water can float a car, not much more to wash away a truck.

>Never ever try to cross fast moving water that is over knee deep, or where there any potential entanglement hazards.

>Slow down and check all bridge crossings when there is even a shadow of doubt in your mind about the safety of the crossing.

If it feels unsafe, don't do it. Better to miss a day of planting and watch some Storage Wars reruns or play some chess in the tent than take a chance on your life for a few bags of seedlings. Let's all make good choices this year.

[jdtesluk]

Two ATV operators were killed in northwest BC in the past two weeks, one during a water crossing where the operator was pinned under the vehicle. These were not silviculture incidents, but they were in the exact kinds of conditions in which we operate. There is a flood watch in northern BC and in other areas of the central interior. Take a moment to reccy your routes, and think twice before trying to traverse even shallow water with your quads. Even a shallow puddle can end you with an 800 pound quad sitting on your back.

Talk to your crew and your operators.