WorkSafeBC resources - North Island Woodlot Association

Good afternoon Wolfram and other Woodlot Licensees,

As requested, here is the link to the Vancouver Island Safety Conference … Safety Conferences – The BC Forest Safety Council

Thank you for taking the time to discuss the role of WorkSafeBC, Prevention Programs and Services, and the responsibilities of owners, employers, and workers as it relates to controlling the serious injury risks in the workplace.  I hope you found our discussion informative and more importantly that it empowered your workplace to make improvements to your health and safety program functioning.

Here’s the summary of our discussion about the forestry planned inspectional initiative, the top source of injuries, and relevant resources for your workplace. 

 Community Forests and Woodlots

In British Columbia, small tenure holders are responsible to ensure a healthy and safe workplace when conducting forest management and operational activities on your tenure area.  Tenure holders may manage those operations in a range of ways, so it is important to understand responsibilities and obligations as stated in the Workers Compensation Act (WCA) and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) in relation to how your tenure is managed including your relationship with employers and prime contractors in your workplace.

 Forestry Planned Inspectional Initiative

Understanding the Forestry Planned Inspectional Initiative as it relates to your business will empower you to take action to make your workplace safer for yourself and your workers.

Forestry inspections, consultations, and education activities will focus on supporting workplaces and confirm whether they:

·        Identify hazards and assess risk Managing risk - WorkSafeBC

·        Implement effective and compliant controls Controlling risks - WorkSafeBC

·        Develop safe work procedures, programs, and policies

·        Provide related instruction, training, and supervision

·        Conduct effective inspections

·        Perform effective accident investigations

·        Engage the joint health and safety committee or worker health and safety representative

 The primary areas of focus for the initiative are based on risk and claims data:

·        Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) in silviculture, shake/shingle, log hauling

·        Slips, trips, and falls

·        Struck-by logs, debris, and line cable

·        Struck by mobile equipment

·        Rollover due to loss of stability in steep slope mechanical harvesting

·        Noise exposure

 Thank you for your efforts to promote healthier and safer workplaces.  Your suggestions about how we may improve this consultation service will benefit workplaces we engage with in the future.

If you have any specific questions regarding our discussion, please reach out to me.  If you have any other questions, I’ve provided some contacts numbers to help you reach the right department in WorkSafeBC below.