Break-up was finally here, it was time to shift gears and start thinking about the upcoming summer season. It was Dave’s first day back after a month of working the night shift. Although he was tired, he had an easy day ahead of him- all he had to do was deliver some parts out to camp.

There was little traffic on the roads and Dave had driven to the camp at least a thousand times. He had to remind himself to pay attention as he drove on auto-pilot around the sharp curves. He took his eyes off the road to find his coffee and when he looked up - half the road was gone! He slammed on the brakes; stopping just in time to avoid driving into the hole. Wow, he thought, I’ve seen culverts wash out before but nothing like this!

He called the office to report the problem, radioed a warning to the other road users and marked the wash-out for other drivers to avoid.

com·pla·cen·cy: A feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger or trouble.

Working conditions in the forest environment can change very rapidly. Spring conditions can bring unpredictable road surfaces (dust, mud, or ice), changeable weather and new additions to the work environment (think bears or summer students).

Don’t let down your guard now that break up is here- complacency can lead to serious incidents.