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Taylor Blades, left, Carlee Mohorich, Cole Cunningham, Jessi Wood and Megan Cole were the hosts of the 2014 Grad Class’s Fashion Show at 100 Mile House Junior Secondary on April 10. The ladies wore dresses from Cinderella’s Closet, which rents dresses, shoes and jewelry to grads who need them. They introduced and described the outfits as they were modelled. Cunningham was wonderful as the master of ceremonies and also modelled some outfits.
Safety concerns spark new plan Carole Rooney Free Press
Mills in 100 Mile House are among those that will benefit from enhanced safety procedures, after two fatal mill explosions in British Columbia in 2012. The safety of sawmill workers and communities will be further strengthened through a new Dust Mitigation and Control Audit protocol now being offered to mills throughout the province. It was developed by a Manufacturers’ Advisory Group made up of a dozen companies that account for about 75 per cent of B.C.’s lumber production. The group will use its expertise and resources to ensure the protocol, and best practices regarding sawmill dust risk reduction, are shared with any company that needs them.
100 Mile House Fire-Rescue elling the province for the past four (OMHFR) chief Darrell Blades says months as one of several instructors any additional tools for sawdust con- teaching under the Fire Inspection trol safety are helpful. and Prevention Initiative (FIPI). “I think it’s a great tool for the mills His specific role was related to the to use and look at their Dust Mitigation fire safety plan and fire inspection and Control Program.” portion in wood dust conWhile he won’t need to trol and hazard mitigation use the new audit protocol plans, Blades explains. for his fire department’s mill “It’s well on its way. We inspections, he is familiar have three more courses to with it. deliver and then we’ve cov“I’ve seen the audit plan. ered the province, [which] I It’s a very comprehensive think will definitely help the DARRELL document designed for industry.” BLADES industry to kind of self-audit He notes WorkSafeBC leads itself.” this initiative and involves the Blades explains if the mills follow fire service and sawmill industry. the audit protocol and then impleThe audit protocol is one of sevment resulting recommendations eral key components in a new plan; on its findings, OMHFR inspections it is focused on combustible dust should reveal good results, and can and saw-mill safety. The protocol include a review of the audit data. was recently developed by governThe fire chief says he has been trav- ment, industry, organized labour
and WorkSafeBC. It is touted by government as an aggressive and co-ordinated plan to accomplish a number of specific outcomes in the next 90 days. Other aspects of the plan include the launch of an awareness campaign on workers’ rights in refusing unsafe work, with a toolbox kit provided by WorkSafeBC to employers and to health and safety committees and representatives in all saw mills. WorkSafeBC will also double the size of the designated mill inspection team to 20, and launch further inspections during Phase 4 of their Sawmill Inspection Initiative. More information on these and other plan components is available at www2. news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_20132017/2014JTST0019-000396.htm. The FIPI website is online at www. fipibc.ca.