On November 14, 2019, a 19 year-old worker was fatally injured when he was struck while working in proximity to a piece of heavy equipment on a logging block near Creston, BC.

We extend our condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of the deceased and our sympathies to all those affected by this incident.

This is the fifth harvesting fatality of 2019.

While this incident is still under investigation and details are pending, please review the following safety information:

1. Young workers are at significantly higher risk for workplace incidents. Extra care and attention needs to be taken to ensure that young workers are properly oriented, trained, and supervised on the job.
2. Identify the hazard areas for each piece of equipment and make sure all workers are aware of how to communicate with the equipment operator to move through these hazardous areas safely. Be aware that hazard areas can change due to terrain, slope and other factors. Reassess these hazard areas as conditions change and make sure everyone on site is aware of what has changed.
3. Ensure that all workers wear high-vis personal protective equipment (PPE) while working around mobile equipment.
4. Upset conditions occur when there is a breakdown, problem, or when something occurs that is out of the ordinary. Incidents often happen during upset conditions. When upset conditions occur, pause, gather your thoughts, and plan your actions carefully in order to keep safe.
5. Logging is high-risk work and all operations must have a well understood communications procedure in place. There are many factors that can cause miscommunication such as poor radio reception, rushing, distraction, complacency, and making assumptions to name a few. Ensure there is a plan that outlines clear communication procedures and confirmation of work to be done. If you are uncertain, or the message is unclear, ask for confirmation.