Safety

Making safetya top priorityThe decisions and actions ofindividuals will ensure safe workplaces

hy R0N G0RMANMy family knows about coming out of

adversity-actually, from disaster. In the1970s, a terrible fire completely destroyed

Ron Gorman

our company's saw-mill. But in the costlyprocess of rebuilding,we diversifled andmodernized. Thismeant we later grew inways that probablywouldn't have beenpossible before thefire.

Today, I see something similar happen-ing in British Columbia's forestry sector.For years, its safety performance in tim-ber harvesting was nothing to bragabout-deadly, in fact. A provincial gov-ernment task force documented deep-seated problems in a comprehensive 2004report that recommended wholesale, far-reaching changes. These changes meantserious investment by industry and majorefforts by other players. Recognizing thatit needed to be done, however, everyonesigned on: licensees, companies of allkinds and sizes, labour, and the B.C. gov-ernment and its forestry and safety agen-cies.

Creating a new cultureOur sector has taken responsibility for

its unacceptable safety performance.Collectively, we said, "This is unaccept-able. This is our problem and we're goingto fix it."

That's exactlywhat we have done-indi-vidually and collectively. Since 2004, com-panies of all sizes and kinds have paidmore attention to how we treat and prac-tise safety. As a secto! we adopted the BCForest Safety Accord, formed the BC For-est Safety Council and through the coun-cil, launched diverse programs that overtime will fundamentally create a newsafety culture.

From the get-go, we understood thatthis would be a long-term commitment.Attitudes don't change overnight and pro-grams take time to implement. It's verysatisfying, then, to see our efforts startingto pay off with a year of unprecedentedprogress.

A newly released statistical analysisshows these dramatic improvements-ontop of a steep year-to-year decline in fa-talities:

. A 21.5 per cent reduction in injuries,from 1,193 in 2005 to 963 last year;

. A 39 per cent drop in injury costs,from $35.5 million in 2005 to $27.8 millionlast year.

The crucial benefits are fewer personallives disrupted by injuries as well as high-er morale. thanks to the forest sector's

11% reducti0n in for€stry's injury rate

21% fewer compensation claims

36% fewerworkers withlong-term disabilities

clear commitment to the safetv of ourworkers and workplaces.

Focusing on SAFE CompaniesChanging attitudes in a large, diverse in-

dustry like this takes patience and hardwork. Our forest sector has made a good

start through the BC Forest Safety Coun-cil-with its training and certificationprograms for individual workers (like

manual tree fallers), as well as a SAFECompanies program that will ultimatelycertiff all forestry operations as meetingand exceeding required safety standards.Complementing these programs are ef-forts by other players including govern-ment and WorkSafeBC, who are alsotaking positive actions to improve forestrysafety.

Ultimately, however, it will be the cumu-lative effects of individual decisions andactions by individuals and companiesthat keep our businesses safe.

Maintaining our momentum won't beeasy, as we're experiencing some of themost difficult periods in our history. Buttough times should help us focus onwhat's critical to the long-term success offorestry in B.C.

Our future depends on improved work-place safety, and investments in safetytoday will pay dividends in a healthier in-dustry tomorrow: one that is more dy-namic, efficient and innovative-and ableto assure workers and their families thatearning a living doesnt come at the price

of life and limb. fl|Ron Gorman is co-chair of the BC Forest

Safelt Council and chief executiue fficerof Gorman Bros. Lumber Ltd. Haruestingand milling timber in the OkanaganVal-ley, the 56-year-old family-run company is

r:::#:r its third generarion of working

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S A F E T Y I S V I TA t ---**tl:888.532.0211 .**'b.j.::,1:1l=i:gl

to the people who work in Brit ish Columbia'sforest sector. Everyone wants to get homesafe at the end of the day.

The BC Forest Safety Council is working withemployers and workers to improve safetyprograms and performance. We are trainingworkers and companies to recognize andmanage the hazards of working in the forest.

The SAFE Companies program is nowunderway. Companies can register, have theirsafety programs audited, get certif ied andreceive rebates on their WCB payments.

Call now for information about how you oryour company can participate in training andSAFE Companres activit ies.

I0 Forestswest I Fal l 2007