Date of incident: March 2021
Notice of incident number: 2021194910009
Employers: Integrated forest management company

Incident summary
A faller was falling trees on a logging road right-of-way. After he felled a tree, he was swept down the slope by a hemlock windfall (a tree blown down by the wind) that broke loose above him. The heavy windfall pinned him underneath, and he died of his injuries.

Investigation conclusions

Cause

• Safe cutting practices not followed. The faller was falling trees on a logging road right-of-way. He first cut and wedged a live tree (tree 1), and then felled another live tree (tree 2) toward tree 1, likely intending to push tree 1 over. However, tree 2 missed tree 1; tree 1 remained standing with its stability compromised from having been cut and wedged. A standing dead hemlock tree (tree 4) stood in the way of the faller then being able to use another pusher tree to fall tree 1. To access tree 4, the faller bucked two pieces of a hemlock windfall (tree 3) that was resting against it. The second bucked piece landed on the high side of tree 4, making it difficult for the faller to be able to fall tree 4 from its high side. Once the second piece of tree 3 was bucked, the remaining section of tree 3, above the faller, was free to move. The faller then felled tree 4 from its low side, which allowed him to face the immediate hazard, tree 1. When tree 4 was felled, it struck another windfall (tree 5) or caused tree 5 to vibrate. As a result, tree 3 slid down the slope, as it had been held in position by tree 4 and tree 5. Tree 3 struck the faller, who sustained fatal injuries.
  
  These cutting practices were not consistent with the BC Faller Training Standard. Tree 4 was cut from the low side, escape routes were not cleared of obstructions (one was partially blocked by the second bucked piece of tree 3, and the other escape route was blocked by tree 5), and dangerous trees were not felled before falling or attempting to fall adjacent live trees, all of which contravenes the standard. If the standard had been followed, the incident might not have occurred.

Contributing factors

• Hazards not recognized. Tree 3 had been rotting on the forest floor for many years, and at the time of the incident it was covered by snow. With protruding branches that may have appeared to be a part of a root system, tree 3 may have appeared to be anchored and not a hazard. A detailed assessment of the worksite and individual tree hazards should have been conducted.

Other safety issues

• Failure to provide safe work procedures for fallers. A few months prior to the incident, the employer expanded its scope of work to include hand falling; however, it did not provide its workers with safe work procedures for hand falling acceptable to WorkSafeBC.

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