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A dangerous week in forestry

Feb. 1, 2017 - Grim news of workplace deaths are serving as yet another reminder to practice safety on the job.

Ivor Lundin, 57, was a Tolko employee. He went out on the water on Okanagan Lake in a boom boat on Monday night while working near the company’s Kelowna, B.C. plant.

According to reports, Tolko lost contact with Lundin at 9:21 p.m. and what started off as a rescue mission became a recovery one. RCMP officers recovered Lundin’s body on Tuesday.

The investigation is ongoing. No details have been released on what may have caused the incident.

Another man also died while working at a log yard operation in Lumby, B.C., on Friday.

No details have been released on the name of the victim or the company.

Both the RCMP and WorkSafeBC are investigating.

The B.C. Federation of Labour (BCFED) released a statement calling for the B.C. government to put increased workplace safety measures into place.

“All workers must enjoy the basic right to be safe on the job and to come home safely to their families at the end of their shift. But these two deaths — along with a third involving a Victoria construction workers two weeks ago — are a sign that more needs to be done to protect workers,” says Irene Lanzinger, president of the BCFED.

“Our view is that government and employers aren’t doing enough to keep workers safe on the job,” Lanzinger says. “Health and safety protections are weak and not always rigorously enforced. Worker safety is being compromised. Injured workers aren’t fairly compensated, and employers whose negligence kills or seriously injures workers are let off with a slap on the wrist.”

The BCFED says it will continue to push government to improve safety on the job.

February 1, 2017  By  Tamar Atik



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