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Injury Prevention Resources for Wood Products Manufacturing - Shake & Shingle

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.

Chainsaw Safety - Sawmills (1 of 2) (video)

video thumbnail Chainsaw Safety - Sawmills (1 of 2)
This video describes in detail the fundamentals of safe chainsaw operation in sawmills, including saw selection, personal protective equipment, saw maintenance, saw operation, and cutting hazards. (11 min 34 s)
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC

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 (4.6 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)
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Critical Injury - Radial Arm Saws

"A worker operating a radial arm saw lost his thumb and fingers on his left hand when he pulled the saw across with his right hand while his left hand was in the blade path."
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Critical Injury - Unguarded Cut-off Saw

"A worker received serious injuries to his left hand when he reached across the path of a 15 inch saw blade and inadvertently stepped on the foot pedal that activated the hydraulically controlled radial arm that moves the saw blade across the wood."
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Lockout BK21

This booklet defines lockout, explains lockout policy and procedures, and provides guidance on compliance with Regulation requirements.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2.4 MB) (Updated: September 2005)

Also available in the following languages:

* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

OSH Answers: Powered Hand Tools

Information presented in question-and-answer format.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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OSH Answers: Woodworking Machines

A set of information sheets using question-and-answer format to provide information about safety when using different types of woodworking machines.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Sawmill Worker Injured by Lumber from Edger

"A sawmill worker was seriously injured as a result of a piece of lumber kicking-back from an edger." Includes tips on preventing this kind of accident.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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Sawmill Worker Caught Between Conveyor and Support Roller

"A young untrained sawmill worker with less than two weeks experience was seriously injured when caught between a conveyor and support roller." Includes tips on preventing this kind of accident.
Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
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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 WCB logo
* PDF (621 KB)
Updated: April 2007
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Back Belts May Not Prevent Injuries at Work (Ergonomics Commentary)

A commentary on the effects of using a back belt.
Source: WorkSafeBC WCB logo
* PDF (129 KB)

BackCare The National (UK) Organisation for Healthy Backs

This website 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 (The National [UK] Organization for Healthy Backs)
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Elements of Ergonomics Programs

This primer provides basic information that will be useful for employers, workers, and others in designing effective programs to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), one of the most prevalent and costly safety and health problems in the modern workplace.
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
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ErgoWeb Reference Materials

Links to a very large number of online ergonomics resources.
Source: ErgoWeb
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Hard Metal Hazard

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



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