To the Editor:
Forest Industry leaders have been paying close attention to the recent log trucking incidences in the southern interior as part of a recent increased focus on log hauling safety within the Province. The type and frequency of log hauling incidents is seen as unacceptable particularly those that occur in areas frequented by the public.
In general, safety performance within the industry has improved significantly throughout British Columbia since 2005 due to the efforts of industry and the Province. Log hauling specifically has had a reasonably good safety record with the number of incidents reported in 2012 for both on and off highways hauling resulting in 133 short term disability, long term disability and fatality claims to WorkSafeBC. This means that of the approximately 1.4 million loads of logs hauled in 2012, 99.99 per cent were hauled without a short term disability, long term disability or fatality claim. However, those within the industry also recognized that more work is needed in order to further improve Log Hauling Safety by eliminating injuries and fatalities. The objective is to ensure every load is delivered incident-free.
One of the many actions being taken by industry to address log hauling safety is the establishment of the Trucking Advisory Group (TAG).TAG was established in 2014 in response to a cluster of log trucking incidents that occurred in the late summer/fall 2013. TAG members include senior representatives from Canfor, Gorman Bros., Interfor, Tolko, West Fraser, BCTS, LoBar Log Transport, the Log Truck Technical Advisory Committee and association representatives from the Truck Loggers Association, Interior Loggers Association, and the BC Forest Safety Council (BCFSC).
TAG is currently focused on the following issues:
- Reduction of log truck rollovers,
- Safety data collection and analysis,
- Managing log truck overweights,
- Training of log haulers, loadermen and supervisors,
- Mechanisms to improve driver behaviours and safety performance, and - Improving communications within and outside the industry.
Through the actions of the TAG and other safety related initiatives, those within the industry are committed to continue to work at ensuring efficiently and safely. Safety isn’t just the right thing to do, safety is good business.
Trucking Advisory Group
c/o Dustin Meierhofer, RPF