Fatality Alert
On November 15th, in the early morning, a log truck travelling empty on a resource road near Lake Cowichan went off the road and the cab of the truck was submerged in standing water at the side of the road. The truck driver was not able to escape from the truck.
Our condolences go out to the family, friends and co-workers of the deceased and our sympathies to all those affected by this incident.
The RCMP, Coroners Service and WorkSafeBC are investigating this incident.
This is the 9th harvesting fatality of 2017.
Although the details of this incident are still unknown, review the following safety information:
- Heavy rains and winds can cause damage to roads and other infrastructure. Washed out roads or crossings, landslides or blown down trees can create significant hazards. Follow the established rain fall shutdown criteria for the area.
- Heavy rains also contribute to hazardous road conditions like soft shoulders, ruts and accumulations of ditch water.
- The soil next to bridges and culverts may be eroded by heavy rains and high stream flows. Sometimes this erosion cannot be easily seen. Be cautious and assess crossings from a safe distance before driving over them.
- Resource roads often cross or run alongside bodies of water. Take this special hazard into consideration when developing safe work procedures and emergency plans.
- Always drive to the current road and weather conditions. Things can change quickly.
