Highway incidents are among the most frequent causes of injuries and deaths

July 19, 2011

A tragic fatality recently in the forestry sector points out the need for more attention to road safety as a workplace hazard.

A 19-year-old woman was killed when the vehicle she was driving collided with a tractor trailer on Highway 144 south of Gogama. The young woman was driving as part of her summer job.

Collisions and other highway incidents are among the most frequent causes of injuries and deaths across the province and for Workplace Safety North member companies. When these are combined with incidents involving large mobile equipment, off-road driving and travel on logging roads, the statistics become even more worrying.

Companies whose employees must drive as part of their job should have a safe driving program in place. To learn how to develop and implement a program, download WSN’s free resource booklet. The association has a range of training courses and other materials related to safe driving and safe operation of mobile equipment. Watch for the summer issue of our Every Worker magazine, or contact a customer care representative for more information.