Some Sawmills Hit with Stop Work Orders in Wake of Inspections
Prince George, B.C.- WorkSafe BC had warned sawmills they would be doing inspections but still, several in the province 
All active sawmills in the province were investigated for combustible dust issues between November to the end of January. Inspections were looking to ensure sawmills were complying with combustible dust management requirements that had been developed in the wake of the Babine and Lakeland sawmill explosions and deaths.
In total, 144 locations were inspected.
While the inspections indicated many sawmill operators have made a lot of effort into improving the management and control of combustible dust, there were several who were found to be on the other side of the compliance coin.
Here are the results of the three month inspection crack down:
- 11 employers were issued a total of 13 stop-work orders due to unacceptable accumulations of secondary dust and other significant violations, which posed an immediate hazard to the health and safety of workers. In most cases, the areas noted were cleaned the same day, allowing production to resume by the next shift. These locations are subject to frequent ongoing inspections to ensure compliance is maintained while mill operators address the challenges noted.
- Two locations inspected during the initiative received a second stop-work order and have been directed to participate in a closely monitored compliance plan that includes weekly submissions to WorkSafeBC prevention officers regarding their dust management process. Officers are inspecting these locations at an increased frequency during this monitored phase to ensure the workplaces remain in compliance with WorkSafeBC requirements and expectations.
- 83 of the 144 locations inspected were in compliance at the time of inspection and received no orders related to combustible dust. Many of those locations had dust control plans incorporating significant engineering controls to augment and mitigate the amount of manual dust cleanup required.
- 61 employers were issued a total of 93 orders related to combustible dust. Most of these orders were for unacceptable levels of dust accumulations outside normal production areas; i.e. basements, crawl spaces, overhead areas, areas hidden behind motor control centres or cabinets, and outside areas.
- 17 warning letters were recommended during this inspection phase to advise employers that an administrative penalty may be considered for further similar violations of the regulations and 3 administrative penalties were recommended for violations of the regulations.
WorkSafeBC says its investigators will continue inspecting sawmills on a regular basis to ensure sawmill operators are removing combustible dust from the jobsite.
Comments
All the mills will be in compliance with new regulations for control of fine, powder like dust generated by milling beetle kill pine just in time to begin milling green logs.
metalman.
many of these Mills still don’t get it and continue to play Russian roulette. Its clear unless someone goes to jail the message will never get though.
It won’t happen steph. One must remember why Worksafe BC was invented in the first place.
Thank you Worksafe, your doing your job.
Dragon Master, your right.
But can make them really hurt, by hitting their wallets.
I happen to be involved a lot with the dust abatement one thing to remember is until the explosions there was not real level set for dust build up now there is a level which is 1/8 of an inch on any elevated work surface including beams and piping and almost all mills have extra cleanup on all shifts to stay in compliance however that being said some mills will not do anything until a monetary penalty is assigned and it is not just Work Safe doing the inspections it’s the fire departments and BC safety authority as well
This is treated very seriously by the industry now and many other jurisdictions in Canada are following BCs lead
Tell us, why was WorksafeBC invented in the first place? They ARE doing their job, as mandated by their political masters. Most of whom haven’t got a clue about what is and is not dangerous when it comes to dust. Or a lot of other things to do with actual workplace safety. And so the inane is now superseding the sensible. And that won’t do one single thing to make anyone any safer.
Why are the employees accepting unsafe work conditions? Why does worksafe have to write them up? Where are the safety commitees on this issue? Due your due diligence people! There are a few dead people out there that wished you had!
Why are the mills not identified?????
Rogue: http://www.workingforest.com/major-bc-forest-companies-named-stop-work-orders/
NoWay until recently dust was not considered an unsafe working condition it was considered a side effect of dealing with the making of lumber and cleanup has always been done it’s just now regulations actually supply a number for dust tolerance there was no number before the explosions
That’s bs dearth or just an excuse by the sawmills to say they didn’t know which is also bs. Sawmills do fire fighting training. The person they hire to do the training talks about dust as a problem and shows house hold flour flaring up in his little demo box. Dust explosions aren’t new and the accumulations of other types of dust are known to be explosive. Sugar mills, graineries, flour mills, pellet plants and now sawmills have blown up. The regulations have always been there they just didn’t say sawdust but now they do!
So now that we know why aren’t the workers refusing to work in unsafe conditions? Why does a worksafe inspection have to stir the pot? The workers should be doing it and the safety commitee and union should be backing the up!
Bring back the bee-hive burners,,,,this will take care of everything and hire more labourers to feed it.
doesn’t really surprise me seeing canfors name heading the list. IF any of those mills in non- compliance need housekeeping lessons send them to DUNKLEY LUMBER and see the NOVAKS,they will show them the way it is supposed to be. BAR NONE this has got to be the cleanest mill I have ever seen, very impressive!!!
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