News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

The death of local logger, Charles Henry Engelbert, 29, nearly two years ago has been deemed accidental. This verdict was released by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General following an inquest into the incident, which was held last week in Williams Lake.

Mr. Engelbert's death on in April of 2010 caused the BC Coroners’ Service to take a serious look at the hand faller profession. The resulting report states that the cause of death was traumatic brain injuries that resulted from being struck by a falling tree while falling timber on a forestry worksite in a remote area near Likely. It also includes recommendations to the Worker's Compensation Board and the BC Forest Safety Council.

The report states that Charles Engelbert died in Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops on April 17, 2010, one day after being critically injured.

The jury presented a total of ten recommendations to presiding coroner Chico Newell, including the preparation of an evacuation plan in any hand-falling operation, mandatory recertification of fallers and the licensee assuming the responsibilities of the employer for the purposes of health and safety when they contract hand falling work to a contractor utilizing three or fewer fallers.  They suggested that Occupational Health and Saftey regulations be amended to require mandatory certification for persons supervising hand falling and that there be mandatory periodic recertification of fallers, with special consideration to be given to a mandatory log book.

Recommendations to the BC Forest Safety Council include incorporating SPOT transmitters or similar technology into safety plans,  as well as making BC Ambulance Service Advanced Life Support paramedic services available by local helicopter for people living and working in remote locations.

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