BC Forest Safety Council - Fatality Alerts

[Scooter]

This is going to be a depressing thread.

FATALITY ALERT – PRELIMINARY INFORMATION --
BCFSC # 2015-11-17

On November 17th, a log truck driver was fatally injured when his log truck was caught
in a landslide and carried down a steep slope. This incident occurred in an area north
of the town of Hope. WorkSafeBC and the Coroners Service are investigating the
incident and the results will be released as soon as possible.

Although the details of this incident are still unknown, review the following
general safety information:

1) Proper planning is essential for logging and road construction on both moderate and
steep slopes. Terrain stability and steep slope harvesting assessments are tools that
can be used to manage the risks.

2) Identify the high risk areas and the safe zones at your worksite. Communicate to
everyone on site about potential hazards such as unstable terrain, steep slopes,
drainage areas and road washouts.

3) Develop and implement shut down procedures for storms and extreme weather.
High winds, significant rainfall events or snow and cold temperatures can create
hazardous work conditions. Watch out for unstable terrain, flooding, road washouts and
blowdown.

4) Establish and follow rainfall shutdown procedures. Typically, these procedures
involve measuring rainfall amounts with a rain gauge and if the maximum is reached in
a 24 hour period, logging operations are shut down. Moisture from snowmelt should
also be considered.

5) After storm events, thorough inspections of worksites and infrastructure like roads
and bridges are needed to make sure work can start up safely. These should be done
by qualified professionals where appropriate.

6) Customize your Emergency Response Plan to your site. Plan and practice
evacuating workers from remote areas of the block and workers trapped in vehicles or
equipment.

7) When a block or road is in a potential avalanche area, a risk assessment must be
done by a qualified person. This assessment will determine if an avalanche safety plan
or additional safety gear is required.

[jdtesluk]

That could happen to any truck. Certainly the weight of a log load didn't help, but it sounds like the poor guy didn't have a chance. Good reason for clear rainfall shutdown protocols, and to be ultra diligent about the roads and water crossings during heavy rain.

[Tnalp]

Was falling mid coast this Fall and there were rainfall shutdown protocols in place. The Supervisor left it to the Fallers to make the call once on site which created pressures but nice to see that even the old school vets did not hesitate to shut 'er down! Ugly amounts of rain up there..

[mwainwright]

sounds like ocean falls

[Tnalp]

Yup

[Scooter]

Link: http://www.bcforestsafe.org/node/2750

I think the first three safety points can apply in many tree planting operations.

On December 21st, a log truck driver was fatally injured in a single vehicle incident when his log truck rolled over coming out of a sharp curve near Chilliwack. Early indications are that the road conditions were not a significant factor. The Coroners Service is investigating the incident and the results will be released as soon as possible.

Although the details of this incident are still unknown, review the following general safety information:

1. No load of logs is the same. Professional log haulers adjust their driving behaviours to adapt to differences in the weight and stability of their load.
2. Wear seatbelts in all conditions and at all times.
3. Inspect your truck and trailer often. Watch for early warning signs that the suspension or brakes need repair or adjustment.
4. Busy holiday schedules can lead to added stress and distraction at work. Maintain focus on the job at hand so you can enjoy some time off with friends and family.
5. The holiday season also increases the number of drivers on the road. Watch out for members of the public who might not be used to industrial traffic.
6. The winter weather can create poor road conditions. Adjust your speed and drive to the conditions.

[jdtesluk]

Point 4 and 5 apply equally to any holiday between March and September.

[Scooter]

Safety Alert - Fatality - 2016-01-26 - Log Truck Driver

On January 26th, a 22 year old log truck driver was fatally injured in an incident on Highway 5A between Princeton and Merritt. The unloaded logging truck went off the road, down a steep embankment and the cab was crushed. Road conditions were reported as being icy at the time of the incident.

The Coroners Service is investigating the incident and the results will be released as soon as possible.

There have been 3 log truck driver fatalities in the last 3 months. If you haul logs or supervise log hauling operations, take the time to focus on improving the safety of your business. The details of this incident are unknown but here are some suggested actions:

Slow down, winter conditions are challenging. Darkness, poor visibility and icy road conditions all require slower driving to manage safely.
Get better information on road and weather conditions. Use websites like DriveBC and Environment Canada’s Weather page.
Make the decision to shut down operations when poor road conditions make hauling too hazardous.
Mentor young workers. Pair up an experienced driver with a new or young driver so they can share important advice and safety information.
Conduct detailed maintenance checks. Get any overdue service work completed.
Hold a special safety meeting. Discuss the recent fatal incidents and how they could have been prevented.
Manage fatigue with your drivers. Encourage naps and reduced hours at work to avoid impairment from lack of sleep.

Resources

Fatality alerts for the two recent log truck incidents.
http://www.bcforestsafe.org/node/2746
http://www.bcforestsafe.org/node/2750
Shift Into Winter – Resources for Commercial Truck Drivers
http://shiftintowinter.ca/driving-for-w ... resources/
Weather – Environment Canada
https://weather.gc.ca/forecast/canada/i ... html?id=BC
DriveBC
http://www.drivebc.ca/
Print Copy of this alert for crew meetings or posting
http://www.bcforestsafe.org/files/BCFSC ... -01-26.pdf

[Scooter]

And yet another ...

Safety Alert - Fatality - 2016-01-31 - Log Truck Driver / Worker

On January 31st, a 23 year old man was killed after being run over by an empty logging truck that he and a co-worker were trying to repair. Both workers were driving the logging truck to a camp south of Fraser Lake when they stopped to fix a mechanical issue.

Our condolences go out to the family and co-workers of the deceased worker.

WorkSafeBC and the Coroners Service are investigating this incident and the results will be released as soon as possible.

There has been an increased frequency of incidents related to improperly securing vehicles before doing maintenance work. On October 14, 2015, an incident occurred in Ladysmith when a worker was fatally injured while preforming repairs on a service truck. The truck was parked on a slope and began to roll while the worker was underneath.

The industry has also seen an increase in fatal incidents involving young log truck drivers. On February 11, 2015, a 24 year old log truck driver died in the crash involving two logging trucks on the Alaska Highway. On January 26th, a 22 year old log truck driver was fatally injured in an incident on Highway 5A when the unloaded logging truck he was driving went off the road.

These recent incidents highlight the need for proper training of young log truck drivers with a focus on driving during winter road conditions and properly securing the log truck when preforming maintenance or inspections.



Although the details of this incident are still unknown, review the following general safety information:

Pre-trip inspections are required for all equipment. A thorough inspection will identify mechanical problems that could be hazardous and slow down production. Pick a safe location for the inspection with adequate lighting, flat ground, and not crowded with other equipment or workers.
When working on wheeled equipment, set the maxi/emergency brake before exiting the cab. When repairing the machine, use chocking blocks to prevent movement; if blocks are not available, use some large rocks or wood. This is critically important when your task requires you to be under the vehicle.
An upset condition is any event that is unplanned. This can be a mechanical breakdown, unexpected weather, or a change in the work plan. Most incidents happen when there is an upset condition. Pause and plan your work carefully before trying to fix these conditions.

Resources:

Safety Alert - "Chock it - Block it - Lock it" Immobilize your equipment
http://www.bcforestsafe.org/node/1337
Integrated Trucking Log Book – Example log books that will help with pre and post trip mechanical inspections
http://www.bcforestsafe.org/forestry_tr ... _book.html
Log Truck Roll Over and Seatbelt Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_kH7mIuUjk
More Info on Upset Conditions and RADAR
http://www.bcforestsafe.org/node/1521
Print Copy of this alert for crew meetings or posting
http://www.bcforestsafe.org/files/BCFSC ... -01-31.pdf

[Scooter]

http://www.bcforestsafe.org/node/2827

Safety Alert - Fatality - 2016-08-09 - Log Truck Worker

On August 9th, the owner of a log hauling company was fatally injured while working around his shop in the Prince George area. He was jump starting a tractor when it moved inadvertently, pinning him under the rear wheels.

Our condolences go out to the family and co-workers of the deceased.

WorkSafeBC and the Coroners Service are investigating this incident.

This is the third fatal incident within the last 10 months that has involved equipment or vehicles rolling over workers. The previous incidents occurred in the Fraser Lake and Ladysmith areas where workers were doing maintenance underneath a log truck and a heavy duty truck.

Although the details of this incident are still unknown, review the following safety information:

1. Doing work around the shop or office will have risks that are often overlooked. Stop, assess the risks and come up with a plan to do the work safely, even when doing routine tasks in these locations.

2. Locking out all machinery including wheeled equipment is very important when performing maintenance. Follow the lock out procedures on the BC Forest Safety Council’s website if your company does not have any for particular pieces of equipment.

3. Upset conditions create high risk situations that lead to many incidents. An upset condition is anything that is out of the ordinary for you or your operation; including sickness, stress, equipment breakdowns or unusual weather conditions.

[Scooter]

From: http://www.bcforestsafe.org/node/2833

Safety Alert - Fatality - 2016-08-08 - Log Truck Driver

On August 8th, the driver of a loaded log truck was seriously injured when his truck went off a resource road in the Mackenzie area. The truck was travelling down a muddy hill when the trailer went off the road, taking the tractor with it. The driver was transported to hospital but passed away on August 18th.

Our condolences go out to the family and co-workers of the deceased.

WorkSafeBC, the RCMP and the Coroners Service are investigating this incident.

This is the fourth fatal incident involving a log truck in 2016. Previously reported fatalities as follows:

January 26: A 22-year-old log truck driver died in a logging truck incident between Princeton and Merritt (see alert: www.bcforestsafe.org/node/2755)
January 31: A 23-year-old man died after the empty logging truck he was trying to repair ran over him near Fraser Lake. (See alert: www.bcforestsafe.org/node/2761)
One associated fatality on August 15: A logging truck was driving along the Lougheed Highway near Harrison Mills when it tipped, sending logs rolling into the street. One of the logs struck a pickup truck and the female driver died at the scene. The driver of the logging truck was uninjured in the crash.

Although the details of this incident are still unknown, review the following safety information:

As a driver, ensure you have the proper training and are competent to perform the work. If you are a supervisor, ensure that log truck drivers are competent. Professional log truck driving is a high risk occupation with advanced skill and knowledge requirements.
Be cautious when there are sudden shifts in the weather. Road conditions can go from dry and solid to muddy and slick even after a short rain storm.
A thorough orientation is needed for all workers who are new to a job. Even if they have a lot of experience doing the job in a different location, a good orientation will give them the local knowledge needed to be productive and safe.
Seatbelts will protect drivers in rollover situations by keeping them in the seat and not thrown around in the cab, which can lead to fatal or serious injuries. Even a low speed log truck rollover can cause serious injury. The loaded trailer going over will “whip” the tractor over violently.
Pay attention to the details of your job. Often it is a small change in the road conditions, weather, or the setup of the job that can create increased risk. Evaluate the conditions on an ongoing basis, change your driving inputs (speed, steering) to compensate for the increased risk or stop work if conditions become too dangerous.

[Scooter]

http://www.bcforestsafe.org/files/BCFSC ... -12-29.pdf

Fatality Alert

On December 29th, near Fort St. James, a loaded log truck struck an empty, stationary log truck that had lost traction on a hill. After the collision the loaded truck left the road and the load of logs moved forward and partially crushed the cab. As a result, the driver of the loaded truck was fatally injured. The road conditions were reported to be icy.

Our condolences go out to the family, friends and co-workers of the deceased and our sympathies to all those affected by this incident.

The RCMP, Coroners Service and WorkSafeBC are investigating. This is the 10th harvesting fatality of 2017.

Although the details of this incident are still unknown, review the following safety information:

- Drive at the appropriate speed for the conditions and unknown hazards. Know your route and pay special attention to low visibility curves and blind hills.

- Establish mandatory chain up locations when road conditions are icy, including signage and a pullout location to put on chains. When conditions are too hazardous, postpone hauling until the situation improves.

- When using the radio to transmit critical road safety hazards, like road blockages, confirm that road users have heard the message. Ask them to stop in a safe location and warn other traffic until the blockage can be cleared. Post safety triangles or flares to warn traffic of potential road safety issues as soon as possible.

- Develop a plan for timely resource road inspections and maintenance. Use the draft resource road maintenance guideline as a reference:
https://www.bcforestsafe.org/files/gde_ ... -pilot.pdf

- Regularly inspect and maintain vehicles. Make sure important safety equipment like cab guards, wrappers, tires and brakes are all in good condition.

[Scooter]

http://www.bcforestsafe.org/files/BCFSC ... -02-11.pdf

Fatality Alert - 2019-02-11 - Forestry Worker

On February 11, 2019 a worker was fatally injured when the pickup truck he was working on moved unexpectedly and he was run over. The incident occurred in the 100 Mile House area.

We extend our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and our sympathies to all those affected by this incident.

This is the fourth work related death in the last 3 years where a worker has been struck or run over by a vehicle that they were working on. This is the first harvesting fatality of 2019.

While this incident is still under investigation and details are still to be determined, please review the following safety information:

In the winter, vehicles are often left running to warm up or light up work areas. Vehicles left running must be secured properly including parking in a level location, automatic transmissions put into park, and emergency brake engaged. Use secondary methods to secure vehicles, like wheel chocks or blocking, which will prevent the vehicle from moving if brakes or other equipment fails.

Vehicles with standard transmissions left in neutral rely even more on the emergency brake to keep them in place. Use wheel chocks and test emergency brakes regularly to make sure they work properly.

When doing maintenance on a vehicle use a properly set up shop if possible. Winter conditions, uneven ground and darkness add to the risks involved. Never work under a vehicle alone, have a work partner nearby to help if necessary.

Fatigue can cause routine tasks to become high risk activities. When tired, steps can be forgotten and hazards can be missed or not understood. Recognize when you or your co-workers are fatigued and take steps to support good decision-making.

When working alone, use a check-in procedure. Even when stepping out of your cab or pickup to do a quick job, it’s advisable to let someone know. Incidents can happen very quickly and having someone who can respond to help you out is important.

Check out the following alert that provides guidance on working around and underneath vehicles www.bcforestsafe.org/node/3230