Mount Sicker Lumber had previous violations at other locations
Mount Sicker Lumber Company of Port Alberni, B.C. was the prime contractor of a forestry cutblock and was fined $33,787.
WorkSafeBC conducted an inspection and determined that workers from this firm and a subcontractor's firm had performed mechanical and hand-falling activities within the danger zone of a 22-metre (72-foot) dangerous tree. The mechanical harvesting activities resulted in debris at the base of the dangerous tree, which made the work area more hazardous. Further, these work activities occurred prior to conducting an adequate risk assessment for dangerous trees.
The firm failed to ensure a risk assessment was performed before workers were exposed to a dangerous tree, and failed to ensure that mechanical falling activities were conducted in a way that did not create additional hazards. These were both high-risk violations.
As the prime contractor in this instance, the firm failed to ensure that all activities were planned and conducted in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and with safe work practices acceptable to WorkSafeBC. This was a repeated violation, based on previous violations at other locations.
Source: WorkSafeBC
