West Fraser fined $150k for combustible dust
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QUESNEL, B.C. - WorkSafeBC has fined Canadian forestry and lumber company West Fraser for having too much combustible dust in multiple locations, reports MyCaribooNow.
 
WorkSafe BC says West Fraser "failed to remove hazardous accumulations of combustible dust", a high-risk violation. It also said dust was located near potential ignition sources, including lighting, motors, and rotating machinery. 
 
The fine was imposed November 1 for just over $150,000.
 
West Fraser was recently named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers in 2020 by Mediacorp. Fraser, along with several other Canadian lumber companies, have been plagued with shutdowns and curtailments. Many of the country's biggest players have taken a hit and restricted lumber production, with West Fraser and Canfor curtailing production more than once. Thirteen indefinite closures are also ongoing - affecting around 1,000 workers. If you add in curtailments, around 3,000 workers have been affected.
 

 

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Robert Dalheim

Robert Dalheim is an editor at the Woodworking Network. Along with publishing online news articles, he writes feature stories for the FDMC print publication. He can be reached at [email protected].