The jury that heard the inquest into a Creston man’s death in a logging truck accident is urging more stringent workplace safety.
Linden Lyle Faulkner’s death on Aug. 28, 2018 was ruled an accident due to equipment failure.
Witness testimony revealed that the logging truck was poorly maintained, and a broken bolt caused the load to spill while Faulkner was travelling along the Bull River Forest Service Road.
The resulting accident tipped the vehicle on its side and tossed the cab’s contents onto Faulkner, including a heavy truck battery that was unsecured under the passenger seat.
According to testimony, Faulkner was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of his death.
The jury made several recommendations to Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE), including multiple suggestions involving more thorough maintenance and record-keeping regarding the upkeep of equipment and components.
They said trained safety and post-incident inspectors should be on staff to get more thorough and complete accounts of any accidents.
They also suggested ongoing safety training for workers and recommended that WorkSafe BC enhances messaging around universal seatbelt use.
The jury heard testimony that only one satellite phone was in use at the worksite. As a result, they feel that WorkSafe BC should require all forestry sector employees working alone to have access to a satellite phone to call for help if necessary.