Musculoskeletal Injuries
Musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs), such as sprains and strains, make up the largest number of workplace incidents in silviculture.
- Work shorter days early in the season to give the body more recovery time. Also, schedule more frequent recovery days, such as 3 days on, 1 day off.
- Coach workers to ensure that they follow safe work practices, such as using neutral postures and changing hands when planting.
- Wear warm, layered clothing as well as hand and arm warmers in cold weather
- Consider working with a physiotherapist to help manage injuries when they occur.
Emergency Evacuation
- Conduct frequent emergency drills. Make them as realistic as possible to test your workers and identify weaknesses in your Emergency Response Plan.
- Your emergency plan should include turn by turn driving directions to your site as well as the geographic coordinates (lats and longs). Keep in mind that emergency responders may not be familiar with your location; send someone to guide them in.
Road Deactivation
- Deactivated roads can create increased risks of ATV rollovers, stuck vehicles, and slow access in case of an emergency. Work with your contract supervisor to plan appropriate access and identify these areas before you send in your crews.
- Know when to say when. Do not push your vehicles and people past their limits. Know when to get off the ATV and start walking or find a safe, alternate route.
Wildlife
- During their orientation, give workers information about bears including habitat, diet and annual cycles, identification of black and grizzly bears, bear signs (tracks, tree markings, carcasses, scat, etc) and clear instructions on what actions to take when bear activity is detected.
Resources:
- Tree Planting Safety Resource Package
/files/SafetyResources/res_TreePlanting.pdf
- WSCA Report on Emergency Response
http://wsca.ca/2014/01/draft-report-on-silviculture-sector-emergency-response-released/
- WorkSafeBC Hazard Alert on ATV Incident
http://www2.worksafebc.com/publications/posters.asp?reportID=37585
- Fit to Plant Program to Help Prevent MSIs
http://selkirk.ca/treeplanting
- Bear Safety Resource Package
/node/1915
