PURPOSE The BC Forest Safety Council � The Safety Challenge � About the Council � The Work Plan 2006 BC Community Forest Association Conference and AGM � Will We Make a Difference? Burns Lake BC June 3 rd , 2006 Keith W. Rush, RPF 1
ABOUT MYSELF THE CHALLENGE � The safety performance of the industry � Professional Forester has been unacceptable for some time � Worked in Industry for Sometime � Historically high levels of fatalities and � Senior Advisor to the Council injuries � Working Specifically on the SAFE � Many efforts to improve, but trends continued Companies Project � This time, it must be different � I Have Experienced, First Hand, the Cost of � As the industry renews, safety must Unsafe become a priority 2
THE CHALLENGE -- 2005 THE SECTOR CAN BE SAFE � The current situation can be altered through Fatalities and Serious injuries in collaborative action within the Sector every sector and every region � We have a strategy and plan developed by the Consistent with historic trends in sector (Forest Safety Task Force) the industry � Other jurisdictions have had success Not the first time Safety has been � In BC, there are many safe forestry operations made an issue of every size in every activity in all regions This time the response is different � How can we get there together? 3
ABOUT THE COUNCIL A UNIQUE ORGANIZATION • Central Interior Logging Association (CILA) • Coast Forest Products Association (CFPA) � Origin: The Forest Safety Task Force � Not a Government Organization • Council of Forest Industries (COFI) • Of the sector for the sector � Our Mission: Eliminate fatalities and • Interior Logging Association (ILA) • Funded by contributions from employers’ WSBC serious injuries • Interior Lumber Manufacturers Association (ILMA) assessments. • North West Loggers Association (NWLA) � Organization: Focused policy and • Steelworkers—IWA Council � A Membership of Stakeholders advocacy role. Program delivery from the • Truck Loggers Association (TLA) • Everyone who is part of the problem and part of the sector • Western Fallers Association (WFA) solution • Western Silvicultural Contractors Assoc. (WSCA) � Composition: All key forestry • Challenges due to internal tensions and traditional • organizations, government agencies and BC Timber Sales conflicts • WorkSafe BC (WCB) ministries at the table and well represented • Ministry of Forests and Range � Unifying Objective: Worker and Workplace SAFETY 4
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY THE FOREST SAFETY ACCORD � Everyone Around One Table � A Safety Constitution for the Industry • The one place that everyone is there and has an � Covers six main points: equal voice • Key Beliefs � Potential for Long-Term and Lasting • Shared Responsibility Solutions • Reiterate…Everyone who is part of the problem • Recognition of Safety Performance must be part of the solution • Commitment to Training and Supervision � Stress Again the Unifying Objective: • Legislation Worker and Workplace SAFETY • Continual improvement 5
ACCORD---Key Beliefs ACCORD---Shared Responsibility � We believe that ALL fatalities and � We are collectively and individually responsible for the safety of all workers and all worksites. injuries are preventable Individuals must assume responsibility for their own safety � � We believe in a culture where the health and the safety of co-workers by following all safety rules, and safety of all workers has over-riding procedures and practices; by refusing to perform unsafe work; and by taking collective responsibility for the unsafe priority. conduct of others. � We believe that excellence in health and Tenure holders, licencees and prime contractors must take a � safety is important to our long-term leadership role in ensuring worker health and safety and success. assuring accountability for safety on the worksite. 6
ACCORD ---Training and Supervision ACCORD --Recognize Safety Performance The commitment to health and safety is to all � We understand the importance of workers � workers, not just direct employees. When being fully prepared for the work they do engaging contractors, sub-contractors and others and the provision of competent to provide services, the selection process and administration of contracts will include supervisors who will insist on and enforce recognition and support of good safety safe work practices. performance and practices Employers will recognize and support the safety � performance of their employees � All workers on the worksite must be All owners of forested lands, tenure holders and � licencees will give weight to the safety record and competent, fully trained and certified for current practices of companies in the awarding of the work they are performing. contracts and in the determination of fees and levies 7
ACCORD ---Legislation ACCORD---Continual improvement � It is understood that the regulatory � We are committed to the on-going environment of the Forest Industry can improvement of our practices and support have profound impacts on safety. efforts to develop and implement new Accordingly, government ministries and methods, procedures and technologies agencies must take into account the importance of health and safety when that have the potential to improve safety. developing, reviewing and drafting applicable areas of law and regulation. 8
SAFE LAWS AREAS OF FOCUS � A Safety Aware Legal Regime � A Safety Aware Legal Regime • The legislation, regulations, and � Confident and Competent Workers procedures will always take safety into account • Future laws and regulations will be � SAFE Companies developed with a safety lens � Cultural Change • Standards and procedures will be applied where needed to ensure safe worksites 9
CONFIDENT WORKERS SAFE LAWS – Initiatives � Reviews of Forestry Related Legislation, � Confident and Competent Regulations and Practices that have Safety Workers Impacts • Forestry occupations will be recognized as the • Regulatory review of MOFR skilled and qualified jobs they are • Practices review of MOFR • All workers in the sector will be fully trained, • New Resource Roads Act qualified and, where appropriate, certified • Supervisors will also be trained and certified • Review of WSBC legislation, regs and practices • Practices under Forestry TruckSafe 10
SAFE COMPANIES CONFIDENT WORKERS -- Initiatives � Faller Certification (July 31 st , 2006) � All companies, large and small, will • First fully certified occupation endorse the Forest Safety Accord and • Mandatory certification almost complete have in place all of the necessary • New faller training in place programs, personnel and procedures to • Quality assurance and review process in place promote the safety of their workers and � Forestry Supervisors those of their contractors • Pilot training course completed � For The Workshops…This Afternoon… � Others 11
BC SAFE Silviculture Forestry TruckSafe � Truck related incidents are now the largest single � Deals with the specific requirements of area of concern tree planting, brushing, firefighting etc. The focus of two Summits that developed an � Action Plan � A full suite of training and qualification Strong connections to general Trucking and the � programs Oil and Gas sector � Tightly linked to SAFE Companies and � Road use committees have been established Forestry TruckSafe Standards, practices and regulatory and � legislative changes are being worked on with � Deals with issues of Employment MOFR, Solicitor General and the RCMP Standards as well 12
CULTURAL CHANGE EMERGING PROGRAMS � Substance Use and Abuse � The safety of all workers and worksites in • A new program being developed in concert with the sector will become an over-riding other sectors priority within the sector � Workforce Development Planning • Working to develop a forest sector plan for � The province will be more aware of safety workforce development and the improvements being made • Being done in concert with of the agencies like � Fatalities will be noted with respect HRDC and the ITA • Deals with issues related to aging workforce 13
CULTURAL CHANGE -- Initiatives CULTURAL CHANGE -- Getting the word out � Showing respect for families and workers � Getting the word out • Taking note when a forestry worker is killed or seriously injured � Better, more timely information � Newsletters, Conferences, Talks • Take every opportunity to stress and underline � Forest Safety Ombudsman safety and its importance � Celebrating successes � Safety Advocates • We have positive stories, experiences and messages 14
CULTURAL CHANGE -- Safety Ombudsman CULTURAL CHANGE -- Better Information � New, innovative and important (Roger Harris) � We are not sharing safety information • Information inside companies and Regional � An impartial safety voice for the sector � Fatalities & Serious injury database � Will ensure • Immediate notification • Facilitate fair, equitable and timely solutions • Provide confidentiality and protection for individuals • Database improving/Privacy concerns and companies � Safety Alerts • Deal with safety issues that may arise between • A good start, Common format, requirement of SC contractors and licensees • Provide a forum for discussion and review � Improved Investigations • Foster communications about safety • More timely, better on Company side 15
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