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Rubber and Wood February 09, 2017 12:30:13 PM

Tolko Industries partially reopens Kelowna saw mill after worker death

Carolina Curiel
ScrapMonster Author
Tolko Industries has announced partial reopening of its Kelowna saw mill after one-week suspension of activities following accidental death of a company employee.

Tolko Industries partially reopens Kelowna saw mill after worker death

VANCOUVER (Scrap Monster): Tolko Industries has announced partial reopening of its Kelowna saw mill after one-week suspension of activities following accidental death of a company employee. The company press release noted that it has restarted land only operations at the mill last Friday. A tug boat operator belonging to the company had died on January 30th this year, following sinking of the tug boat.

The marine incident was reported around 9.20 PM on January 30th. The tug boat was reported sunk near sawmill premises off the east shore of Okanagan Lake. The submerged boat was detected by police and local fire department officials who had conducted extensive search of the surrounding area. The search and rescue team later confirmed the presence of boat operator’s dead body inside the boat with the help of an underwater camera. The RCMP team later recovered the body of the person.

The identity of the deceased worker was initially withheld as per the RCMP next of kin notification process. The funeral of the 24-year old tug boat operator, Mr. Ivor Lundin was held in West Kelowna, attended by company management, employees, friends and relatives. Troy Connolly, Senior General Manager, Lumber stated that the whole Kelowna mill team felt deeply affected by the loss of Lundin. Further, he expressed deep condolences to the bereaved family members.

Announcing the decision to resume operations, the company stated that it has so far been focusing on supporting the employees who were impacted by the unfortunate incident. Apart from the management team meeting with the employees individually, the Employee and Family Assistance Plan representatives have played a significant role, supporting the affected employees. Connolly added that the company is presently focused on bringing people back to work safely, while co-operating with the ongoing investigation process.

Meantime, several agencies including WorkSafeBC, Transportation Safety Board (TSB), BC Coroners Service and the RCMP are conducting investigations. In addition, Tolko has also ordered independent investigation. According to TSB investigators, the vessel is to be inspected for any signs of damage that could have led the vessel to sink. The condition of the hull and navigation equipment is also under investigation, they said.

The B.C. Federation of Labour responded to the death by calling for increased safety at province’s workplaces. According to them, much more needs to be done to ensure that all workers come home safely to their families at the end of their shift. Irene Lanzinger, president, noted that it is the basic right of every worker to be safe on the job. Companies must do the needful to step up safety at workplaces and avoid occurrence of similar mishaps at least in future.

About Tolko Industries Ltd.

Tolko Industries Ltd. is a privately owned Canadian forest products company based in Vernon, British Columbia. It manufactures and markets specialty forest products to world markets. Tolko's products include lumber, plywood, veneer, oriented strand board, and kraft papers. Tolko's Woodlands departments hold third-party certification on the forestlands they sustainably manage in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

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