Later today, the BC Forest Safety Council Ombudsman, Roger Harris, will release his first annual report.

That report is expected to address several issues including general working conditions in the bush,  the need to develop a  skilled workforce and the impact stress is having on safety in the bush.  It is also anticipated that Roger Harris will issue a call for special certification of logging truck drivers.

Last July, Harris launched his first formal action . It was a review of training and certification within the forest industry. At the time, he was quoted as saying “Effective training and certification is fundamental to improving the safety performance of our industry” .

He may get support for that move through the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council.  Earlier this week, the not for profit national group (which works on behalf of the trucking industry)  issued a call  for enhanced training programs, improved licensing standards and new policies for the distribution of training funds.  That report  is the result of a series of sessions held across the country to deal with  concerns  from a variety of trucking sectors. 

According to the Council, skills shortages are a serious issue that cannot be addressed without a true collaboration between industry, government and labour.

It has been a year since the Provincial Government announced the establishment of a Forest Safety Ombudsman, a position created in the wake of one of the deadliest years ever in the forest industry.