Log hauling fatality

Photo: Carmen Weld

WorkSafeBC and the BC Coroners Service are investigating after the owner of a log hauling company was killed on the job in Prince George.

According to the BC Forest Safety Council, on Aug. 9, 2016 a man was jump starting a tractor around his shop when it moved inadvertently, pinning him under the rear wheels.

“Our condolences go out to the family and co-workers of the deceased,” wrote the BCFSC in a press release.

This is the third fatal incident within the last 10 months that has involved equipment or vehicles rolling over workers.

A worker in Fraser Lake and another in Ladysmith were killed while doing maintenance underneath a log truck and a heavy-duty truck respectively.

While the specific details of this new incident are unknown, the BCFSC encourages all those in the industry to to review safety materials.

The BCFSC writes:

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.

For more information, click here.