Deceased Worker Identified
Thursday, May 3, 2012 @ 4:46 PM
Flags fly at half mast at Canfor’s Plateau Mill following the death of a worker
Vanderhoof, B.C. – The worker who died at the Canfor Plateau mill over night has been identified as George Park, Jr. of Kamloops, BC. He was an individual, independent subcontractor to Nechako Construction (a division of the BID Group) and had been performing maintenance work on behalf of the company at this site since November 2011.
In a statement issued this afternoon, BID Group CEO Brian Fehr once again offered condolences to his family.
Fehr says representatives from BID Group and mill owner Canfor, Worksafe BC, RCMP and the Coroner’s office, were on the scene today, assessing the site and interviewing employees who were on shift at the time of the accident.
While the official investigation has yet to confirm how Mr. Park died, Fehr says the preliminary information suggests the following:
– Welding maintenance work was scheduled to be performed on two planer mill conveyor belts (dunnage conveyor and strip conveyor) which operate side by side.
– Prior to commencement of the work, as was required for safety, all power sources were locked out (ie. shut off).
– However, a diverter gate that functions to separate the dunnage and the strip to their respective conveyor paths, was not properly secured. While it was secured hydraulically, it was not additionally secured with a chain or “come along” to ensure it does not move.
– Preliminary interviews with co-workers reveal that the additional securing measure had been in place in past maintenance operations.
– Speculation is that the unsecured gate fell over and the worker was crushed between the gate and the conveyor wall.
– The worker had filled out a hot-work permit at 330am, and failed to show up for a scheduled lunch break at 400am. Upon discovering the worker, co-workers lifted the gate and on-site first aid attendants were called to the scene, but preliminary interviews say the worker was already deceased.
As next steps, Jody Volts – Corporate Safety Office will be preparing his own accident investigation report for Worksafe BC. The same exercise will be performed (seperately) by representatives from Canfor. Based on the various findings and reports, Brian Fehr – CEO and Jody Volts will be conducting additional safety meetings for every crew and worksite to review the findings of this incident.
“Once again, on behalf of the BID Group, we are heartbroken that a worker has lost his life and that a family has lost a loved one” says Fehr.
Comments
Heartwrenching. There are no words for this terrible tragedy – for this young man and his loved ones. So Sorry.
Someone once said that accidents don’t just happen they are caused. It is incumbent on all workers to ensure the safety of their workmates. Very sad my condolences to the family and freinds.
Another sad day for our region, god bless his family and may he rest in peace.
With the diverter gate being a potential source of energy, even if gravity provides it, gate should have been secured therefore area was not fully locked out.
It is all but impossible to train a contractor to ensure lock outs are fully complete in all parts of a big mill. They should have job specific lock out training or be working with an employee who is familiar with the correct procedure.
That being said, if the mill manager is still an ex Upper Fraser guy, he has a checkered past in locking out himself and sweeping employees caught in violation of lock out rules under the rug. If the man at the top is not walking the talk, those poor attitudes filter down pretty quick.
Thoughts to the family and friends.
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