B.C. Firm Fined $110K After Worker Engulfed in Silo

West Fraser Mills Ltd. in Quesnel has been fined $110,855 by WorkSafeBC following a fatal incident in which a worker was engulfed by wood fibre inside a mill silo.

The incident began when a fire ignited in one of the mill's silos. Water used to extinguish the fire caused wood fibre inside to freeze. While a subcontractor's worker was pressure-washing the frozen fibre, a large volume of material dislodged from an overhang above, blocking access to the silo hatch and engulfing the worker, who suffered fatal injuries.

WorkSafeBC cited multiple safety failures: the firm failed to assign overall responsibility for the confined-space entry program to an adequately trained person; there were no written confined-space procedures; no pre-entry testing or inspection occurred before the worker entered; rescue personnel were not properly equipped or trained; no lifeline was attached to the worker's harness; and annual emergency drills were not conducted.

"As prime contractor of a multiple-employer workplace, the firm failed to establish and maintain a system of regulatory compliance," WorkSafeBC said. All violations were classified as high-risk.