It is with deep regret that the BC Forest Safety Council notifies the forestry community of a recent fatality.  On Thursday, May 30th, a driver of a water truck was fatally injured when his water truck rolled approximately 110 meters down a steep 100% embankment.  The water truck was backing up along a narrow section of the road when one tire went off the edge which caused the truck to tip over.  This incident occurred near Pemberton and the investigation is ongoing.

Unfortunately, this is the third truck driver fatality this year.

 We recommend that all drivers and their supervisors pause to review their operations and take the necessary steps to prevent similar incidents.  Below are some general guidelines relating to trucking operations that can be used in this review:

• Know your load.  The weight, center of gravity and characteristics of what is being hauled significantly affects the stability of your truck and how it handles.
• Know the road.  Employers are accountable to assess the road system to ensure it is suitable for their employees intended use.  This includes identifying and mitigating hazards. These hazards and the plan to deal with them must be communicated to employees.
• Know your vehicle’s capacity relative to the conditions.  When working in a very difficult location or in unfamiliar conditions, take the time to review the area.  Do a “dry run” or take only a partial load the first time up. Always participate in the pre-work for the job.
• An upset condition is an unexpected event that happens at work.  Examples include a mechanical breakdown or getting stuck.   When these upset conditions occur it is important to pause and plan your next steps carefully – you are at high risk for injury.
• Wear your protective equipment.  Seatbelts, hardhats and high vis vests are tools that can save your life.

Update From 2013-08-28 Safety Alert

This fatality, which was originally reported as being directly related to harvesting has been reclassified. This incident involving a water truck driver has been identified by WorkSafeBC as having a core activity of transmission line installation.

This fatality is still significant and relevant to forestry operations but will no longer be classified as a direct harvesting incident.