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Teen's death - inquest findings

The Coroner's Inquest about the death of a young Lumby man wrapped up this week in Vernon.

Bradley Michael Thomas Haslam, 18, died June 15, 2013 after getting caught in a conveyer belt at Tolko’s mill in Lavington.

Haslam had recently graduated high school and was working the graveyard cleanup shift Saturday morning when the accident occurred.

The incident happened around 1:30 a.m. on June 15. Haslam ended up caught between a conveyor belt and roller on the third chipping machine. He was eventually freed and rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

During the four-day inquest, witnesses included co-workers, paramedics, his family, an emergency room doctor, WorkSafeBC representatives and investigators.

During the inquest, some said he should have known not to be in the area. Others said the company should not have let him work alone with his lack of experience; while his family was adamant he was responsible and he would not have entered an area he was not supposed to be in.

His mother begged for better safety precautions to ensure no other teen died on the job.

Given his death was over a year ago, mill staff did note that many of the suggestions given by his co-workers regarding training and locking of the machines for safety, have since been instituted at the mill.

The purpose of the inquest was for the jury of seven to determine what could have been done and should have been done to prevent his death. With their findings they provided recommendations to all parties involved.

To WorkSafeBC

  1. To develop an education tool about the risks associated with worker fatigue
  2. To include worker fatigue as a component of CORE Audit
  3. Review and research with industry new training styles/curriculum for young/new workers
  4. That workplace inspections incorporate all shifts including day, afternoon, graveyard and weekend shifts

To BC Ambulance Service

  1. Ensure that counselling be made available in a timely fashion to ambulance attendants following calls of traumatic arrest and similar incidents

To Pat Donnelly, Plant Manager of the Lavington Division or Tolko Industries Ltd.

  1. To produce an education tool to share across all Tolko operations and industry that describes the lessons learned and details the safety standards accomplished since the death of Bradley Haslam

To BC Forest Safety Council (Manufacturing Advisory Group)

  1. That BC Forest Safety Council and the Manufacturing Advisory Group utilize Tolko Lavington's Planer Mill safety measures approach as a benchmark.


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