BC Forest Safety Council

A Western Canadian Timber Products Supervisor was onsite at a harvesting block in East Harrison. The loader operator had contacted the site supervisor indicating that the sub-contracted log truck driver whose truck he was loading appeared to be totally green.

He observed that the driver had attempted to turn the truck around twice, stalling out the truck. The site supervisor waited at the stamp hammer location for the truck.

His observations of the driver included:

• Stalling the truck again
• Spinning tires despite two sets of chains
• Incorrect wrapper placement.

The supervisor assisted with wrapper placement and after the driver indicated he did not know how to mark his load, or read his scales, the supervisor asked how long the driver had been hauling logs. The driver indicated that this was his ‘first load ever.’

The driver said he had five years experience hauling freight on the highway and that the company he was now working for had done one ride-along the week before. The supervisor, wanting to give the driver the benefit of the doubt, suggested they proceed slowly from the stamp hammer and he would ride with the driver.

After failing to negotiate the first switchback and coming to a stop on the outside edge of the road, the supervisor requested that the loader operator come and unload the truck. After the load was removed, it became obvious that the compensator was not unlatched or in the open position.

A log loader was behind a yarder and up the road waiting for a truck to show up to load. The yarding crew was stringing straw line up the hill preparing to move the yarder to a new location.

As the Landing Bucker was pulling a tangle from inside the drum, a log truck entered the block passing a sign “call for clearance” without calling for clearance.

The truck then proceeded all the way up the road and across the straw line through the landing. The straw line was caught up in the undercarriage of the truck and it pulled the line as the Bucker was working on it, ripping it from the Bucker’s hand.

The injured worker had his back to the truck and earmuffs on, so he did not see or hear the truck coming until it was too late.

The driver continued up to the loader, oblivious to the fact he had driven through the line.

The worker received first aid and then was transported to the hospital. The injury could be profoundly serious. It cut the tip of his index finger almost off. At this point doctors stitched it back on and the bucker is waiting to see a specialist to determine if they can re-attach the nerve or will have to amputate.

• Log was not secured within the stakes.
• Wrappers removed at dewrap station, as the arms were raised the log fell and struck drivers hand.
• Driver taken to hospital and received stitches on finger.
• The load was checked part way from block to mill and the log was not loose at this time.
• Driver did not assess the load for hazards such as loose logs or objects prior to removing the wrappers at the mill.

Potential Hazards

• Logs or objects that are not secured within stakes in a load have potential to fall below the arms on dewrap station.
• Dewrap only protects from logs that come overtop the stakes and not logs that are lower than the dewrap arms.
• Short logs should be contained within the bundle and not on the outside or top of a load.
• Dewrap station may create a false sense of security that it protects drivers from all potential hazards.
• Loads may shift during the trip - rough roads, frost heaves, train crossings all contribute.

It was mid-morning, and a logging truck driver was removing tire chains at the pull out.

A working snow plow went by, covering him up to his neck in snow. The truck driver was not hurt.

In 2018, WorkSafeBC updated the first aid training procedures and the recommended first aid equipment.

These changes are very positive and will generally improve and streamline the treatment and transport of injured workers.

However, the revisions may have created an opportunity for confusion at an incident. Attendants and helpers trained to the old standards may not be familiar with the new procedures and equipment. Contractors may not be aware of the revised equipment recommendations. An attendant trained to the new standard may not be familiar with some of the equipment from the previous standard.

Some example topics with revised procedures include conducting the Primary and Secondary Survey, assisting ventilations, dealing with spinal injuries, dealing with major bleeds, applying oxygen, packaging/transporting the patient and immobilizing fractures.

Some examples of revised equipment requirements are tourniquets, quick straps, Sam Splints, various oxygen masks, pulse oximeter, clam shell and revised basket stretchers.

In recent weeks there has been an increase in the amount of rocks mixed in loads being delivered to log sorting locations. The rocks can be as small as a baseball, or at times twice the size of a basketball.

Rocks in logging truck loads create several hazards for workers on the sorts. These rocks if not seen can be shot out from the machine tires at high speeds in any direction which is a very serious issue for ground crews and other machine operators.

This is also a major hazard on the public roads and highways between the woods and sorts. Rocks coming off logging trucks on roadways is a very serious threat to the public.

A worker was conducting pile burning activities using a combination of drip torches and tiger torches.

While using the drip torch the worker got too close to exposed flame and their high visibility shirt caught on fire. The worker was able to extinguish the flames with no effects to their person or other articles of clothing.

A faller was overcoming a limb tied cedar tree hazard by using an alder to push the cedar tree hazard over. As jackpot started to go over, the faller took steps back to get into the clear. The faller kept a close eye on the jackpot as it fell over but did not look up and assess for overhead hazards.

A poorly rooted hemlock was dislodged. Faller was struck on hardhat by hemlock stem that came out of tree line below road reconstruction surface. Hemlock stem was 13cm DBH and 22.1 meters in length.

The faller was heli lifted to hospital for further medical assessment. It was found after CT scan the faller had sustained a fracture to his C3 vertebrae.

A worker was operating a fully loaded logging truck when the truck’s engine stalled. The worker opened the right-side fuel tank to see if there was fuel in the tank. As he did so, the tank erupted in flame. The worker sustained serious burn injuries and was treated in hospital.

(Note: This tragic incident did not occur in a forestry operation, but it did occur in a forested setting while working
alone / in isolation. It can serve as a reminder of the importance of safety in general and specifically, hazard
awareness / site assessment; PPE; working alone procedures (check in, location / travel details).

The following information is derived from a Coroner’s Report of an incident that occurred in British Columbia in the
Spring of 2019:

Contracted to a film production company, a worker was collecting ferns and saplings from a power transmission right-of-way. The setting was brushy and littered with small sapling stumps. Most of the brush was cut to a couple feet above grade, resulting in a landscape full of sticks protruding from the ground.

Other than the access road to the transmission lines, there were no set paths or trails through the brush. Therefore, the worker would have travelled on foot through brush at variable slopes to access harvestable saplings.

The incident was not witnessed but it was determined by WorkSafeBC that the worker was likely returning to his vehicle on the access road and either stepped into or fell forward onto a stick that was protruding from the ground. The force was such that the end of the stick broke through his pants and punctured his upper leg. The worker was able to remove himself from the stick, which remained rooted in the ground, and hiked approximately 36 meters up a steep slope to get to his vehicle. He then drove his vehicle a short distance, until he lost consciousness. The vehicle came to rest against an embankment.

The worker was located a day after setting out for work. Authorities were summoned after he was reported as overdue by a family member.