Spike in forest industry deaths prompts probe by B.C. Forest Safety Council

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Seven people have died in work-related accidents in the province’s forests this year and the B.C. Forest Safety Council wants to know why.

Chief executive officer Reynold Hert says several committees have been created to examine the surge.

He says 10 workers died in 2012, and there’s concern this year’s toll could surpass that figure.

Causes of the deaths are under investigation and Hert wonders if inexperience or unfamiliarity may have played a part, noting some workers are returning after lengthy layoffs.

He says those employees may not grasp recent culture changes within the industry, and may not understand the emphasis is now on safety first, rather than production first.

Forestry-related deaths dropped as low as four in 2004 although 40 people died on the job in 2005, making that the deadliest year ever in B.C.’s woodlands. (CHNL)

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