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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 space information and resources including awareness booklets, bulletins, brochures and statistical data can be found on the Confined spaces web site.
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 ![]()
* PDF (621 KB)
Updated: June 2007
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
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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"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 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 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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Links to a very large number of online ergonomics resources.
Source: ErgoWeb
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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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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)
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 ![]()
* PDF (5 MB)
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
This Infoflip provides information to help
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 ![]()
* (PDF 248 KB)
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 ![]()
* (PDF 267 KB)
"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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"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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Lockout BK21
Information presented in question-and-answer format.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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"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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"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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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 ![]()
* PDF (1 MB)
Updated: August 2006
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
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 ![]()
* PDF (459 KB)
Updated: December 2006
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 ![]()
* PDF (2 MB)
Updated: November 2005
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
"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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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 ![]()
* PDF (2 MB)
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.
Updated: January 2005
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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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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This pamphlet provides important health information for saw filers and knife grinders.
Source: WorkSafeBC ![]()
* PDF (260 KB)
"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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