BC Forest Safety Council Newsletter

The BC Forest Safety Council’s program development manager, Gerard Messier RPF… presentation on the potential hazards posed by wildfire and beetle-kill stands. Gerard used an example of a serious injury – and the 11-hour extraction of that injured field worker in 2016 – to highlight the need for all workers to be trained to anticipate and recognize hazards. He said this was especially important with activities such as recce, surveying and other field work often done by technologists, foresters and field workers, in fire destroyed/ damaged and insect killed stands. “There is a significant threat to health and safety when field work is done in wildfire and insect killed stands. With 1.2 million hectares lost to wildfires last year alone, exposure to hazards in unstable stands is increased,” said Gerard.