It’s not just dust from wood killed by the pine beetle that can spark explosions in sawmills.
Worksafe BC says it can also be dust from green wood, trees cut down while still alive.
The agency has received test results back from dust samples taken from several sawmills across BC, in its investigation of two deadly explosions this year, one in Burns Lake and one in Prince George.
“The importance of communicating this information is that it re-inforces the direction previously issued to industry regarding the importance of rigorous management procedures for all wood dust, not only beetle-kill.”
Worksafe’s Geoff Dolan says officials have still not figured out the cause of either blast that killed two people at either work site.
They expect to release their full report this fall.
About The Reporter
