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Injury Prevention Resources for Wood Products Manufacturing - Pulp & Paper


Pulp & Paper | Sawmills | Shake & Shingle | Plywood & Panel Board | Value-added Wood Products | General

The following links list tools, publications, and other resources to help prevent the most common injuries and illnesses in the wood products manufacturing industry. These resources may not meet all the requirements for health and safety in British Columbia. Please check the Workers Compensation Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, and related materials for specific WorkSafeBC requirements.

Confined spaces

Confined space information and resources including awareness booklets, bulletins, brochures and statistical data can be found on the Confined spaces web site.

Back Talk: An Owner's Manual for Backs BK4

An illustrated handbook that explains how the back works, provides tips for avoiding injury, and shows how to care for the back during recovery. The booklet also covers situations that can cause excessive loads and describes ways to reduce the risk of injury.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (621 KB)
Updated: June 2007
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

BackCare The National (UK) Organisation for Healthy Backs

A website which helps people manage and prevent back pain by providing advice, promoting self help, encouraging debate and funding scientific research into better back care.
Source: BackCare
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Elements of Ergonomics Programs

"This primer describes the basic elements of a workplace ergonomics program. The text is largely built around NIOSH experiences in evaluating risks of WMSDs in a variety of workplaces."
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Ergonomics (general - non-healthcare specific)

Ergonomics is matching the job to the worker and product to the user. Ergonomics and human factors are often used interchangeably in workplaces.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Ergonomic hazards

Ergonomic hazards include repetitive and forceful movements, vibration, temperature extremes, and awkward postures that arise from improper work methods and improperly designed workstations, tools, and equipment.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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ErgoWeb Reference Materials

Links to a very large number of online ergonomics resources.
Source: ErgoWeb
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An Introduction to Personal Fall Protection Equipment BK60

This booklet outlines the safe use and limitations of personal fall protection equipment.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (545 KB) (Updated: September 2005)
* Available in Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Foot Comfort and Foot Safety at Work

Describes common causes of foot problems, how work conditions and footwear can contribute to foot problems, how foot injuries can be prevented, how job and workplace design can improve foot safety, how to buy the right footwear for work, how to care for one's feet, and exercises that can be done at the workstation.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Background and extensive guidelines on preventing injuries from slips, trips, and falls.

This booklet provides background and extensive guidelines on preventing injuries from slips, trips, and falls.
Source: HSE, UK (Health and Safety Executive)
* PDF (631 KB)

Safeguarding Machinery and Equipment: General Requirements

This manual is for everyone who owns, operates, maintains, or sells powered machinery and equipment. Employers will find information to help them comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) and Part 3 of the Workers Compensation Act. It will also help them exercise due diligence in providing a safe work environment. Supervisors will find information to help them assess the risks to their workers from harmful contact with machinery and equipment. Workers will gain greater awareness of the hazards associated with equipment operation and maintenance and of the safeguarding protection they have a right to expect. Suppliers will understand what they must do to provide machinery and equipment that conform to the Workers Compensation Act and the OHSR.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (5 MB)
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Safeguarding in Manufacturing Infoflip (A Companion guide to Safeguarding Machinery and Equipment: General Requirements booklet.)

This Infoflip provides information to help

  • employers comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) and Part 3 of the Workers Compensation Act. It will also help them exercise due diligence in providing a safe work environment.
  • supervisors assess the risks to their workers from harmful contact with machinery and equipment
  • workers gain greater awareness of the hazards associated with equipment operation and maintenance and of the safeguarding protection they have a right to expect.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 733 KB)

Machine Guarding Checklist

This checklist can be used to analyze the machinery in your workplace. Reproduced with permission from Canadian Auto Workers Union video "Blowin' in the Wind - Machine Guarding Prevents Death."
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 248 KB)

Machine Risk Assessment Survey

This document will help identify hazardous machine motion to which a worker may be exposed. It also contains the "hierarchy of safeguarding controls" as a reference.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* (PDF 267 KB)

Concepts and Techniques of Machine Safeguarding

"This manual has been prepared as an aid to employers, employees, machine manufacturers, machine guard designers and fabricators, and all others with an interest in protecting workers against the hazards of moving machine parts." (1992; revised)
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), US
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Fatality -- Worker Pulled into Roller

"A worker was killed while operating a back treater flexer machine. He had started a new roll of sandpaper on the machine when, due to a lack of guarding, he became entangled with the in-running nip and was pulled into the roll."
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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updated Lockout BK21

This booklet defines lockout, explains lockout policy and procedures, and provides guidance on compliance with Regulation requirements.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2 MB) (Updated: September 2005)
* Available in Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

OSH Answer: Powered Hand Tools

Information presented in question-and-answer format.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Worker Crushed Between Two Rollers

"A paper mill supervisor lost his life when he was crushed between two rotating rollers. The investigation revealed he went under the machine to clean a roller." Includes tips on preventing this kind of accident.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Fatality -- Pulp Mill Bleach Plant Hood Blown Off During Steam Purge

"During the unplugging of a steam mixer with steam ('steam purge'), the increase in pressure forced the material back up the chute and into the washer. The impact of the expelled material blew off the partial hood of the pulp washer."
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Safe Work Practices for Handling Asbestos BK27

This manual is mainly for two groups: employers whose operations may require workers to handle or work in an environment with asbestos or asbestos-containing materials; and workers who work with asbestos (removing and cleaning up asbestos waste materials or, very occasionally, installing asbestos).
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (1 MB)
Updated: August 2006
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Chlorine Safe Work Practices BK28

This manual is for employers whose businesses include the use of chlorine gas for water or sewage treatment as well as for workers who work with or around chlorine gas, including those who repair or maintain chlorine systems. It provides information on working safely around chlorine. There is also information for engineers on the building design of facilities where chlorine is to be used or stored.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (459 KB)
Updated: December 2006

Preventing Heat Stress at Work BK30

This booklet provides a basic overview of job-related heat stress, how to recognize and treat heat stress, and how to prevent heat stress. Workers exposed to hot environments must be trained to prevent heat stress and recognize the early symptoms in themselves and co-workers. The newly revised publication Heat Stress contains essential information on how to recognize, treat, and prevent heat stress.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2 MB) (Updated: February 2007)
* Available in Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

WHMIS at Work

This booklet contains general information about WHMIS---the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. It also offers useful information about the kinds of hazards and chemical characteristics of products covered by WHMIS, and two checklists, one on implementing a WHMIS program and the other on WHMIS education and training for workers.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2 MB)
Updated: November 2005
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

A Practical Guide to Effective Hearing Conservation Programs in the Workplace

"Noise is one of the most pervasive problems in today's occupational environment, affecting workers in manufacturing, construction, transportation, agriculture, and the military".
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
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Breathe Safer: How to use respirators safely and start a respirator program

This manual helps explain the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and is a tool to help you work safely in workplaces where there are breathing hazards.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2 MB)
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Updated: January 2005

Respirator Selection (OSH Answers document)

This document describes how respiratory hazards are controlled, what you should know before selecting a respirator, the different types of respirators, and how to select the right respirator.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Respirator Care (OSH Answers document)

This document provides checklists for caring for respirators and self-contained breathing apparatus.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Hard Metal Hazard

This pamphlet provides important health information for saw filers and knife grinders.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (260 KB)

Preventing Deaths and Injuries While Compacting or Baling Refuse Material

"This Alert describes five cases of fatal injuries that resulted when workers entered, fell, or were caught and pulled into energized compacting or baling equipment."
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety)
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