Forestry and Related Industries

OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND DISEASES IN ALBERTA Summer 2009 Lost-Time, Injury and Claim Rates Forestry and Related Industries 2004 to 2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction... 2 2. Provincial Summary... 5 Part 1: Forestry Industries... 8 3. Highlights... 9 4. Industry Sector Summary... 11 5. Industry Sector Analysis... 15 6. Demographics of Injured Workers... 20 7. Injury and Disease Analysis... 22 8. Occupational Fatalities... 31 9. Certificate of Recognition... 33 Part 2: Forest Products Manufacturing Industries... 35 10. Highlights... 36 11. Industry Sector Summary... 38 12. Industry Sector Analysis... 41 13. Demographics of Injured Workers... 48 14. Injury and Disease Analysis... 50 15. Occupational Fatalities... 59 16. Certificate of Recognition... 61 References... 63 Appendix A: Terms, Definitions, and Formulas... 64 Appendix B: Forestry and Related Industries WCB Codes... 68 Contact Information... 69 1

1 INTRODUCTION Role of the Ministry of Employment and Immigration The Ministry of Employment and Immigration includes the reporting entity of the Department of Employment and Immigration (E&I). E&I develops and delivers policies, programs and services to foster labour force development; ensure fair, safe and healthy workplaces; and help those in need. The Department also provides leadership for immigration and interprovincial labour mobility policy for the Government of Alberta, and coordinates resources to support the settlement and integration of new Albertans. The Occupational Health and Safety Council (OHSC) is an administrative body that performs an advisory function in accordance with the power and authority specified under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Occupational Injuries and Diseases in Alberta Forestry and Related Industries 2004 to 2008 E&I prepares this annual report to provide analysis of workplace health and safety information to meet the demand from industry and safety associations, labour organizations, employers and workers for incorporating this information into their strategic plans for enhancing workplace health and safety. This includes: descriptions of programs and initiatives undertaken in pursuit of its workplace health and safety mission and goals; analysis of provincial occupational injury and disease information; estimations of the risk of injury or disease at the provincial, industry sector and sub-sector level as well as general descriptions about the incidents and injured workers. The Occupational Injuries and Diseases in Alberta publications present analysis of aggregate injury claim data to allow for the tracking of workplace health and safety performance over time. This is important for evaluating past and present performance, and in providing strategic information for the direction of workplace health and safety policy. The analysis contained in this report provides a comprehensive picture of workplace injuries in the province, allowing for a prevention focus to be made based on injury probabilities, rather than possibilities. Healthy and Productive Workplaces E&I promotes safe, healthy and productive workplaces, as well as fair, equitable and stable labour relations to ensure a fair, safe and healthy work environment for Alberta s workers. Work is central to people s lives, and to the stability of families and societies. 2

INTRODUCTION People want work that provides them with an acceptable standard of living. It is important that workers enter an environment where their health and safety are protected, where they are treated with respect and they are compensated fairly for the job they are doing. This results in an attractive workplace that furthers the position of Alberta employers to be competitive in the global economy (see Note 1.1). Alongside the human cost of occupational injuries and diseases and the impact on families and society, the economic costs are numerous. Direct compensation payments for occupational injury and disease by WCB are projected to total $740 million in 2009. 1 These costs are ultimately paid by employers through premium payments, and impact the costs of running a business as well as the final cost of delivering products and services. Further costs associated with occupational injuries and diseases include the material damage to equipment and premises, the additional cost of hiring staff to cover for injured workers, and the lost Note 1.1 Research by the International Institute for Management Development and the World Economic Forum suggests that the safest-working countries also have the best competitiveness ratings (ILO, XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, Introductory Report: Decent Work- Safe Work, September 2005). productivity resulting from the absence. Additional impacts of poor health and safety for employers include higher absenteeism and lower morale of employees, loss of skilled and experienced employees, loss of the company's investment in training, and difficulty recruiting high-quality employees due to the loss of image (particularly in the case of sub-contractors to larger companies) all leading to losses in productivity and underutilization of production (see Note 1.2). Other costs borne by the economy and society due in part to work-related injuries and diseases include early retirements, unemployment and Note 1.2 poorer households. The International Labour The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that in high-income Organization (ILO) estimates countries, around 40% of all retirements (before that approximately 4% of Gross Domestic Product is lost due to statutory age) are caused by disability. This is occupational injuries and equivalent to around 14% of the lifetime working diseases (ILO, World Day for capacity of the employed labour force. 2 Occupational Safety and Health at Work 2009 injuries and diseases also affect unemployment and Facts on safety and health at household income levels. Workers with an work issues, April 2009). impairment of capacity can reduce their reemployability and impact household income. Workplace injuries and diseases typically reduce the overall earnings of households and in certain cases, family members have to give up jobs in order to care for an injured worker. 1 1 See the Workers Compensation Board Alberta 2009 Premium Rate Manual http://www.wcb.ab.ca/pdfs/employers/09_premium_rate_manual.pdf 2 See the International Labour Organization report: Safety in numbers pointers for a global safety culture at work http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/worldday/report_eng.pdf 3

INTRODUCTION A few notes about this report: This report presents 2008 data beside 2007 data to help with comparisons. Additional historical data are presented where possible. Information presented in this report is based on incidents that occurred during 2008 and accepted as lost-time or modified work claims by Workers Compensation Board Alberta (WCB) as of March 31, 2009. About 80% of employed persons in Alberta are covered by WCB. This report focuses on all industry activity in Alberta covered by the WCB and by the provincial legislation for occupational health and safety. Most industry sectors are included but notable exceptions consist of the Government of Canada, and parts of the agriculture and finance sectors. Several professional groups (i.e. the teaching and medical professions) are also excluded as are some industries where WCB coverage is not compulsory. Injury claim rates based on a small number of person-years worked are too volatile to make valid comparisons over time. Therefore, claim rates are not calculated when there are fewer than 40 person-years worked. Duration rates are also volatile when based on a small number of lost-time claims. Duration rates are not calculated when there are fewer than 30 lost-time claims. Estimates of year-over-year change for rates presented in this report are calculated using unrounded figures and may not match those produced from rounded figures. Percentages displayed in tables may also not total 100, due to rounding. Throughout the report, the lost-time claim rate is the number of lost-time claims per 100 person-years worked, the disabling injury rate is the number of disabling injury claims per 100 person-years worked and the duration rate is the number of days lost per 100 person-years worked. Fatality rates are expressed as the number of fatalities per million person-years worked. Analyses by industry are based on WCB industry classification and aggregation. For more information see http://ds.wcb.ab.ca/wcb.ratemanual.webserver/alphaindex.aspx. Analyses by occupation group are based on the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The NOC provides a standard list of occupations across the country. For more information see http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/noc. Occupational injuries and diseases listed throughout this report are based on the Z795 Coding of Work Injury or Disease Information produced by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for categorizing occupational injury and disease. For information see http://www.shopcsa.ca/onlinestore/getcatalogitemdetails.asp?mat=2416404. Terms, definitions and formulas used throughout this report are described in Appendix A. 1 4

2 PROVINCIAL SUMMARY The positive trend continues: there were fewer injuries reported and more person-years worked in 2008. In recent years, improvements were made to the analysis of WCB claim information allowing for modified work claims to be analyzed alongside lost-time claims. Using modified work claim data in addition to lost-time claim data ensures a more comprehensive picture of workplace injuries, and allows for greater insight into incident prevention. A lost-time claim is a claim submitted to the WCB for an occupational injury or disease that causes a worker to have time away from work beyond the day of injury. Included are claims receiving reimbursement of full or partial lost wages due to occupational illness or injury, or payment for permanent loss of function (for example, hearing loss). Note 2.1 The lost-time claim rate represents the probability or risk of an injury or disease to a worker requiring time away from work, during a period of one year of work. The disabling injury rate represents the probability or risk of a disabling injury. A modified work claim is submitted for an occupational injury or disease where workers have their normal work duties altered enabling them to remain working without losing time from work. Included in the figures are claims where injured workers are helped back into the workplace with modified duties after time lost due to injury or disease, and cases where workers were provided modified duties prior to time lost because of an injury or disease. Modifying an injured worker s duties can be beneficial for both an employer and an employee. For the employer, the financial cost of an absent worker can be high and returning an injured employee to work as soon as it is medically possible is important for properly managing compensation, disability claims and productivity levels. For the employee, returning to work as soon as medically possible is beneficial both physically and psychologically, and is linked to quicker recovery rates and higher self-esteem. Long absences from the workplace are also linked to decreases in labour market attachment. The number of disabling injury claims reflects both the lost-time and modified work concepts and produces an overall figure where an occupational injury or disease disables a worker causing either time lost from work or for normal work duties to be modified. In 2008, a total of 31,410 lost-time claims were accepted by WCB. This is a decrease of 8.2% from 2007. In contrast, the person-years worked estimates increased by 3.7% to 1,671,916 between 2007 and 2008 (see Table 2.1). Expressed as a lost-time claim rate, the data translates into a rate of 1.88 per 100 person-years worked, a decrease of 11.6% from 2007, as proportionately there were fewer lost-time injury claims. The 2008 rate is 5

PROVINCIAL SUMMARY the lowest in the past eighteen years, and since 1991 the lost-time claim rate has decreased by 54.5%. Since 2004, the lost-time claim rate has decreased by 26.2%. Table 2.1 Provincial Figures Alberta: 2007 and 2008 2 2007 2008 % Change Person-years worked 1,611,892 1,671,916 3.7% Lost-time claims 34,227 31,410-8.2% Lost-time claim rate 2.12 1.88-11.6% Modified work claims 42,491 51,725 21.7% Lost-time claims involving modified work 14,245 22,443 57.6% injury claims 62,473 60,692-2.9% injury rate 3.88 3.63-6.3% Duration rate 48 41-13.9% Days lost (LTC) 767,671 689,523-10.2% Compensation payments (LTC) $219,296,722 $211,054,921-3.8% The total number of modified work claims submitted in 2008 was 51,725, an increase of 21.7%. There were 22,443 claims involving both lost-time and modified work, producing 60,692 disabling injury claims, a decrease of 2.9% from 2007. The number of lost-time claims involving modified work increased by 57.6% from 2007, indicative of improving claims management. Expressed as a rate, the 2008 disabling injury rate was 3.63 per 100 person-years worked, a decrease of 6.3% from the 2007 rate of 3.88. Estimates of injury and disease severity are calculated using information on the number of days lost from work. Three basic measures of severity are the duration rate, median days lost from work and average days lost from work. The severity of the injuries and diseases decreased in 2008, as reflected by a lower duration rate and a decrease in average days lost. The effort of employers to introduce modified work programs to integrate injured workers back into the workforce also has a positive impact on work days lost. The duration rate of 41 days lost per 100 person-years worked was 13.9% lower than in 2007. The median number of work days lost in 2008 was seven, the same as 2007, and the average days lost decreased to 22.0, from 22.4 in 2007. Table 2.2 displays the lost-time claim and disabling injury rates for the province, and also for the major industry sectors in Alberta. The data provides a useful setting for analyzing the health and safety performance of the Forestry and Forest Products Manufacturing industries. The Forestry industries include two specific industries that are part of the Agriculture and Forestry major sector. These are the Logging and Woodlands Operations (including Trucking of Logs) sub-sector and the Timber Management sub-sector. In 2008, the lost-time claim rate for the Forestry industries of 2.66 per 100 person-years worked was higher than most of the major sectors. The disabling injury rate for the 6

PROVINCIAL SUMMARY Forestry industries of 3.80 per 100 person-years worked was higher than five major sectors but lower than the Construction and Construction Trade Services sector, the Manufacturing, Processing and Packaging sector and the Transportation, Communication and Utilities sector. Table 2.2 Lost-Time Claim and Injury Rates by Major Sector Alberta: 2007 and 2008 2 Major Sector Lost- Time Claim Rate 2007 2008 Injury Rate Lost- Time Claim Rate Injury Rate Alberta 2.12 3.88 1.88 3.63 Agriculture and Forestry 2.99 3.75 2.72 3.65 Business, Personal and Professional Services 1.30 1.86 1.20 1.79 Construction and Construction Trade Services 2.32 5.05 1.91 4.65 Manufacturing, Processing and Packaging 2.75 6.50 2.24 5.78 Mining and Petroleum Development 0.76 3.02 0.66 2.92 Public Administration, Education and Health Services 2.44 3.14 2.29 3.00 Transportation, Communication and Utilities 2.94 4.70 2.69 4.42 Wholesale and Retail 2.17 3.55 1.99 3.44 Forestry Industries 3.27 4.16 2.66 3.80 Forest Products Manufacturing Industries 1.82 4.28 1.44 3.52 The Forest Products Manufacturing industries include five industries that form parts of the Manufacturing, Processing and Packaging major sector, but have forest related activities. These are the Sawmills and Planing Mills sub-sector, the Peeling and Pointing of Posts sub-sector, the Treating of Timber sub-sector, the Plywood, Chipboard, Strandboard and Fibreboard Mills sub-sector and the Pulp Mills sub-sector. In 2008, the Forest Products Manufacturing industries had a lost-time claim rate of 1.44 per 100 person-years worked. The rate was lower than most sectors although higher than the lost-time claim rates for the Business, Personal and Professional Services sector and the Mining and Petroleum Development sector. The disabling injury rate of 3.52 per 100 person-years worked was higher than four of the major sectors but lower than the disabling injury rate for the Agriculture and Forestry sector, the Construction and Construction Trade Services sector, the Manufacturing, Processing and Packaging sector and the Transportation, Communication and Utilities sector. 7

PART 1 FORESTRY INDUSTRIES 8

3 Lower lost-time and disabling injury rates in 2008. HIGHLIGHTS In 2008, the Forestry industries lost-time claim rate decreased by 18.9% to 2.66 per 100 person-years worked, from 3.27 in 2007. The average lost-time claim rate for all sectors in the province was 1.88 per 100 person-years worked. In 2008, the Forestry industries had a duration rate of 130, a 34.4% decrease from the 2007 rate of 198. This duration rate is over three times higher than the provincial rate of 41 days lost per 100 person-years worked. The disabling injury rate decreased by 8.6%, from 4.16 per 100 person-years worked in 2007 to 3.80 in 2008. The average disabling injury rate for all sectors in the province was 3.63 per 100 person-years worked. The decreases in the lost-time claim and disabling injury rates in 2008 were the result of a decrease in the number of lost-time and disabling injury claims. Lost-time claims decreased by 30.2% and disabling injury claims by 21.3%. The person-years worked estimates decreased by 13.9%. Smaller employers experienced the highest injury rates. Employers with 20 to 39 person-years worked had the highest lost-time claim rate in 2008 at 3.81 per 100 person-years worked. This was followed by employers with less than 10 person-years worked at 2.81. Employers with 40 to 99 person-years worked had the lowest lost-time claim rate at 0.55 per 100 person-years worked. For disabling injury rates, employers with 20 to 39 person-years worked had the highest rate at 6.27, followed by employers with 40 to 99 person-years worked at 4.00. Employers with 40 to 99 person-years worked had the largest difference between the lost-time claim rate and the disabling injury rate. Mixed results by sub-sector. Lost-time claim and disabling injury rates increased in the Logging and Woodlands Operations (including Trucking of Logs) sub-sector in 2008. The Timber Management sub-sector displayed decreases in lost-time and disabling injury rates. The Forestry industries accounted for 0.3% of the person-years worked in the province, 0.4% of the lost-time claims, and 0.2% of modified work claims and when combined, 0.3% of the disabling injury claims. 9

HIGHLIGHTS 3 In 2008, sprains, strains and tears were the most common nature of injury. Sprains, strains and tears continued to be the leading nature of injury, accounting for 42.8% of the disabling injury claims submitted in the Forestry industries. Lost-time claims connected with fractures and dislocations however, had a proportion 3.0 times higher than the average for all sectors, indicating a higher likelihood of this type of injury occurring. The lower extremities were the most commonly injured body part, accounting for 27.7% of all disabling injury claims. Lost-time claims connected with the other head parts displayed a proportion that was 3.3 times the average for all sectors. The primary sources of injury causing disabling injury claims were persons, plants, animals and minerals accounting for 34.0% of the disabling injury claims, followed by structures and surfaces, 18.9%. Compared to the average for all sectors in the province, other persons, plants, animals and minerals displayed a proportion for losttime claims that was 5.5 times higher than the average for all sectors. In 2008, the most common type of event or exposure was bodily reaction or exertion which accounted for 27.0% of lost-time claims and 34.6% of disabling injury claims. Lost-time claims caused by other falls however had a proportion that was 5.2 times the average for all sectors. The median work days lost was 18, compared to the provincial figure of seven. The average days lost per claim was 49 days lost compared to the average for all sectors in the province, 22 days per claim. 10

4 INDUSTRY SECTOR SUMMARY The 2008 lost-time claim rate for the Forestry industries was 2.66, while the disabling injury rate was 3.80 per 100 person-years worked. In 2008, there were 111 lost-time claims and 159 disabling injury claims in the Forestry industries, representing less than one percent of the total lost-time and disabling injury claims in the province. The Forestry industries lost-time claim rate decreased by 18.9% to 2.66 per 100 person-years worked. The disabling injury rate decreased by 8.6% to 3.80 per 100 person-years worked (see Table 4.1). The decreases in the lost-time claim and disabling injury rates were the result of decreases in the number of injury claims. Lost-time claims decreased by 30.2% and disabling injury claims by 21.3%. Person-years worked estimates decreased by 13.9% in 2008. The 2008 provincial lost-time claim rate was 1.88 and the disabling injury rate was 3.63 per 100 person-years. Table 4.1 Forestry Industries Alberta: 2007-2008 2007 2008 % Change Person-years 4,856 4,180-13.9% Lost-time claims 159 111-30.2% Lost-time claim rate 3.27 2.66-18.9% Modified work claims 68 91 33.8% Lost-time claims involving modified work 25 43 72.0% injury claims 202 159-21.3% injury rate 4.16 3.80-8.6% Duration rate 198 130-34.4% Days lost (LTC) 9,600 5,424-43.5% Compensation payments $1,985,468 $1,578,431-20.5% Estimates of injury and disease severity are calculated using information on the number of days lost from work. Three basic measures of severity are the duration rate, median days lost from work and average days lost from work. The severity of injuries and diseases decreased in 2008, as reflected by a lower duration rate and a decrease in median and average days lost. The efforts of employers to introduce modified work programs to integrate injured workers back into the workforce also impacts work days lost. In 2008, the Forestry industries had a duration rate of 130 days lost per 100 person-years worked, a 34.4% decrease from the 2007 rate of 198. The median work days lost was 18, compared to the provincial figure of seven. The average days lost per claim was 49 compared to the average for all sectors in the province, 22 days per claim. Therefore, claims in the Forestry industries have relatively high severity compared to claims filed in other sectors. 11

INDUSTRY SECTOR SUMMARY Chart 4.1 shows historical lost-time and injury rates for the Forestry industries. The losttime claim rate for the Forestry industries has decreased by 22.0% since 2004. This rate is smaller than the average decrease seen for all sectors of the province, 26.2%. Since 2004, the disabling injury rate decreased by 2.1%. For all sectors in the province, the disabling injury rate decreased by 9.2% since 2004. Chart 4.1 Injury Rates for the Forestry Industries Alberta: 2004-2008 3 4 Injury rates per 100 person-years worked 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 4.13 4.16 3.88 3.80 3.58 3.41 3.27 3.13 2.98 2.66 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Size of Employer In the Forestry industries, employers with 20 to 39 person-years worked had the highest lost-time claim rate in 2008 at 3.81 per 100 person-years worked. This was followed by employers with less than 10 person-years worked at 2.81. Employers with 40 to 99 personyears worked had the lowest lost-time claim rate at 0.55 per 100 person-years worked (see Table 4.2). For disabling injury rates, employers with 20 to 39 person-years worked had the highest rate at 6.27, followed by employers with 40 to 99 person-years worked. Employers with 40 to 99 person-years worked had the largest difference between the lost-time claim rate and the disabling injury rate. For all sectors of the province, employers with 20 to 39 person-years and employers with 40 to 99 person-years had the highest lost-time claim rates at 2.22 and 2.14 per 100 person- 3 Injury Rates are available from 2004 onwards. The rate in 2004 was produced using a 27 month period to capture information on submitted claims in the 2004 calendar year. From 2005, a consistent 15 month period has been used to capture claims for particular years, in line with the methodology for the production of Lost-Time Claim Rates. 12

INDUSTRY SECTOR SUMMARY years worked. Employers with 100 or more person-years had the highest disabling injury rate at 4.02 per 100 person-years. Table 4.2 Lost-Time Claim and Injury Rate by Size 4 of Employer Forestry Industries: 2008 4 Size of Employer Number of Accounts Person- Years Worked Lost- Time Injury Lost- Time Claim Rate Injury Rate Less than 10 person-years worked 1,993 1,850 52 55 2.81 2.97 10 to 19 person-years worked 58 831 18 22 2.17 2.65 20 to 39 person-years worked 30 813 31 51 3.81 6.27 40 to 99 person-years worked 9 550 3 22 0.55 4.00 100 or more person-years worked 1 136 2 3 1.47 2.20 Unspecified* 1 0 5 6 N/A N/A * These are employers with no payroll information or with person-years worked equal to zero. Distribution of Injury Table 4.3 presents figures for the proportion of employers in the Forestry industries with no lost-time and the proportion of employers with no disabling injury claims. Table 4.4 displays figures for the number of claims submitted by employers. In 2008, 96% of employers had no lost-time claims and 96% of employers had no disabling injury claims, meaning the injuries and diseases happening in the province are the result of incidents occurring at the operations of less than 5% of employers (see Table 4.3). For all sectors in the province, 93% of employers submitted no lost-time claims and 92% no disabling injury claims. These figures however, are influenced by employer size. In 2008, the number of employers with no lost-time claims and the number of employers with no disabling injury claims translates to 70% and 65% of the total person-years worked in the Forestry industries respectively (see Table 5.6). Employers who submitted one to five lost-time claims and employers who submitted one to five disabling injury claims accounted for around 30% and 34% of the total person-years worked in the Forestry industries respectively. Employers who submitted six or more disabling injury claims accounted for 2% of the total person-years worked in the Forestry industries. 4 Size is measured in terms of person-years worked. One person-year worked is equivalent to one full-time worker working for one year. 13

INDUSTRY SECTOR SUMMARY Table 4.3 Proportion of Employers with no Lost-Time or Injury Forestry Industries: 2008 Proportion of Employers With no Lost- Time With no Injury Forestry Industries 96% 96% 4 For employers with submitted claims, 77% submitted one lost-time claim, 23% two to five lost-time claims. For disabling injury claims, similar proportions exist although reflect the prevalence of a wider range of injuries (see Table 4.4). Table 4.4 Proportion of Employers with Forestry Industries: 2008 1 Lost-Time Claim 2 to 5 Lost-Time 6 to 20 Lost-Time Over 20 Lost- Time 77% 23% 0% 0% 1 Injury Claim 2 to 5 Injury 6 to 20 Injury Over 20 Injury 72% 25% 3% 0% 14

5 INDUSTRY SECTOR ANALYSIS The Timber Management sub-sector had the highest injury rates of the Forestry industries. Between 2004 and 2008, the Timber Management sub-sector had the highest lost-time claim rate of the two Forestry industries. Lost-time claim rates in both industries were higher in Logging and Woodland Operations sub-sector and the Timber Management subsector than the provincial average each year (see Table 5.1). Table 5.1 Lost-Time Claim Rate for the Forestry Industries Alberta: 2004-2008 Sub-Sector 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Forestry 3.41 2.98 3.13 3.27 2.66 Logging and Woodlands Operations 2.95 2.54 2.76 2.53 2.54 Timber Management 6.21 7.04 6.01 8.34 3.37 In 2008, the Timber Management sub-sector had the highest lost-time claim and disabling injury rates in the Forestry industries at 3.37 and 8.70 per 100 person-years worked (see Chart 5.1). The Logging and Woodlands Operations sub-sector is the larger of the two industries and accounted for 82.9% of the lost-time claims, 69.2% of disabling injury claims and 86.5% of person-years worked in the Forestry industries. 15

INDUSTRY SECTOR ANALYSIS Chart 5.1 Lost-Time Claim and Injury Claim Rates for the Forestry Industries Alberta: 2008 5 10.0 Injury Rates per 100 Person-Years Worked 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 3.37 8.70 2.54 3.04 2.66 3.80 0.0 Timber Management Logging and Woodlands Operations Forestry Industries Lost-Time Claim Rate Injury Rate Logging and Woodlands Operations (including Trucking of Logs) The 2008 lost-time claim rate for the Logging and Woodlands Operations sub-sector was 2.54 per 100 person-years worked, a 0.6% increase from 2007. The number of lost-time claims decreased by 14.0% and the person-years worked decreased by 14.5%. The disabling injury rate increased by 3.0% in 2008, to 3.04 per 100 person-years worked. injury claims decreased by 12.0%. The duration rate for the Logging and Woodlands Operations sub-sector decreased in 2008 to 143 days lost per 100 person-years worked, more than three times the average rate for all sectors of the province, 41 (see Table 5.2). Since 2004, the lost-time claim rate for the Logging and Woodlands Operations sub-sector decreased by 13.8% compared to the average for all Forestry industries, 22.0%, and the average for all sectors in the province 26.2%. 16

INDUSTRY SECTOR ANALYSIS Table 5.2 Logging and Woodlands Operations, including Trucking of Logs Alberta: 2007-2008 5 2007 2008 % Change Person-years worked 4,232 3,617-14.5% Lost-time claims 107 92-14.0% Lost-time claim rate 2.53 2.54 0.6% Modified work claims 33 52 57.6% Lost-time claims involving modified work 15 34 126.7% injury claims 125 110-12.0% injury rate 2.95 3.04 3.0% Duration rate 193 143-25.9% Days lost (LTC) 8,182 5,182-36.7% Compensation payments (LTC) $1,760,144 $1,530,900-13.0% Timber Management In 2008, the Timber Management sub-sector had a lost-time claim rate of 3.37 per 100 person-years worked, a decrease of 59.6% from 2007. This was the result of a 63.5% decrease in the number of lost-time claims. Person-years worked estimates decreased by 9.6%. The disabling injury rate decreased by 29.6% in 2008, to 8.70 per 100 person-years worked (see Table 5.3). The duration rate in the Timber Management sub-sector decreased by 81.1% to 43 days lost per 100 person-years worked. Since 2004, the lost-time claim rate for the Timber Management sub-sector decreased by 45.7% compared to the average for all Forestry industries, 22.0%, and the average for all sectors in the province 26.2%. Table 5.3 Timber Management Alberta: 2007-2008 2007 2008 % Change Person-years worked 624 564-9.6% Lost-time claims 52 19-63.5% Lost-time claim rate 8.34 3.37-59.6% Modified work claims 35 39 11.4% Lost-time claims involving modified work 10 9-10.0% injury claims 77 49-36.4% injury rate 12.35 8.70-29.6% Duration rate 227 43-81.1% Days lost (LTC) 1,418 242-82.9% Compensation payments (LTC) $225,324 $47,531-78.9% 17

Distribution of injury claims INDUSTRY SECTOR ANALYSIS Table 5.4 presents figures for the proportion of employers without lost-time and employers without disabling injury claims in 2008, by industry. Table 5.5 displays the respective person-years for those employers in 2008. Table 5.6 displays figures for the number of claims submitted by employers. The Logging and Woodland Operations sub-sector displayed a higher proportion of employers with no lost-time or disabling injury claims, indicating a more highly concentrated occurrence of injury in that sub-sector. This figure however, is influenced by employer size. In 2008, the number of employers with no lost-time claims translates to 70% of the total person-years worked in this sub-sector (see Table 5.5). 5 Table 5.4 Proportion of Employers with no Lost-Time or Injury, by Forestry industries Alberta: 2008 Proportion of Employers by Sub-Sector With no Lost- Time With no Injury Forestry Industries 96% 96% Timber Management 92% 91% Logging and Woodlands Operations 96% 96% Table 5.5 Proportion of Person-years accounted for by Employers with no Lost-Time or Injury, by Forestry industries Alberta: 2008 Proportion of person-years accounted for by employers With no Lost- Time With no Injury Forestry Industries 70% 65% Timber Management 70% 53% Logging and Woodlands Operations 69% 67% For employers who did submit claims, the Logging and Woodlands Operations sub-sector also had a higher proportion of employers submitting one lost-time claim and a lower proportion of employers submitting two to five lost-time claims (see Table 5.6). 18

INDUSTRY SECTOR ANALYSIS Table 5.6 Proportion of Employers with Lost-Time or Injury, by Forestry industries Alberta: 2008 5 Sub-Sector 1 Lost-Time Claim 2 to 5 Lost- Time 6 to 20 Lost- Time Over 20 Lost-Time Timber Management 58% 42% 0% 0% Logging and Woodlands Operations 81% 19% 0% 0% Sub-Sector 1 Injury Claim 2 to 5 Injury 6 to 20 Injury Over 20 Injury Timber Management 50% 36% 14% 0% Logging and Woodlands Operations 76% 23% 1% 0% 19

DEMOGRAPHICS OF INJURED WORKERS 6 Injured Worker Characteristics In 2008, two occupation groups, Transportation Equipment Operators and Related Workers (Excluding Labourers) and Primary Production Labourers, accounted for over half of losttime claims and disabling injury claims in the Forestry industries. Occupations Unique to Forestry Operations, Mining, Oil and Gas Extraction, and Fishing (Excluding Labourers) accounted for 6.7% and 6.0% of the lost-time claims and disabling injury claims in 2008 (see Table 6.1). Table 6.1 Lost-Time and Injury by Occupation Forestry Industries: 2008 Occupation Group Transportation Equipment Operators and Related Workers, Excl. Labourers Lost-time Injury Employment 43.8% 34.7% 3.3% Primary Production Labourers 7.6% 24.0% 3.8% Occupations Unique to Forestry Operations, Mining, Oil and Gas Extraction, and Fishing, Excluding Labourers 6.7% 6.0% 41.3% Heavy Equipment and Crane Operators Including Drillers 17.1% 16.0% N/A* Mechanics 5.7% 4.0% 9.0% Technical Occupations Related to Natural and Applied Sciences 5.7% 4.7% 18.9% All Other Occupations 13.3% 10.7% 23.7% * Employment figures have been suppressed due to low sample size. ; Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey (Microdata Files) In 2008, workers aged 25 to 34 accounted for 19.8% of lost-time claims and 20.8% of disabling injury claims in the Forestry industries. Young workers aged 15 to 24 accounted for 15.3% of lost-time claims and 27.0% of disabling injury claims (see Table 6.2). 20

DEMOGRAPHICS OF INJURED WORKERS Table 6.2 Lost-Time and Injury by Age Alberta: 2007-2008 6 Age 15-19 Years 20-24 Years 25-34 Years 35-44 Years 45-54 Years 55-64 Years 65+ Years Lost- Time % 2007 2008 Injury % Lost- Time % Injury 5 3.1% 8 4.0% 2 1.8% 4 2.5% 16 10.1% 29 14.4% 15 13.5% 39 24.5% 51 32.1% 65 32.2% 22 19.8% 33 20.8% 44 27.7% 51 25.2% 27 24.3% 32 20.1% 26 16.4% 28 13.9% 26 23.4% 30 18.9% 15 9.4% 18 8.9% 15 13.5% 16 10.1% 2 1.3% 3 1.5% 4 3.6% 5 3.1% Total 159 100.0% 202 100.0% 111 100.0% 159 100.0% % In the Forestry industries, the majority of claims were from men. In 2008, 93.7% of losttime claims and 88.0% of disabling injury claims involved men, although men do comprise the majority of those employed 5 with this sector, 88.9%. Lost-time claims and disabling injury claims from women accounted for 6.3% and 12.0% of the total claims respectively (see Table 6.3). Table 6.3 Lost-Time by Gender Alberta: 2007-2008 Gender Lost- Time % 2007 2008 Injury % Lost- Time % Injury Women 12 7.7% 23 11.6% 7 6.3% 19 12.0% Men 144 92.3% 175 88.4% 104 93.7% 139 88.0% Unspecified 3 N/A 4 N/A 0 N/A 1 N/A Total 159 100.0% 202 100.0% 111 100.0% 159 100.0% % 5 Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey (Microdata Files) information for the Forestry and logging with support activities industry. 21

INJURY AND DISEASE ANALYSIS FORESTRY INDUSTRIES 7 Struck by objects and bodily reaction were the most common causes for lost-time and disabling injury claims in the Forestry industries. Sprains, strains and tears continued to be the leading nature of injury with the lower extremities being the most commonly injured body part. Nature of Injury or Disease The nature of injury is used to identify the physical characteristics of the injury or disease. In 2008, 91.9% of lost-time claims and 91.2% of disabling injury claims were caused by traumatic injuries and disorders. The two most common traumatic injuries and disorders were: sprains, strains and tears and fractures and dislocations (see Table 7.1). Note 7.1 Throughout this section, the classifications used are based on the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards for categorizing occupational injury and disease information. Compared to the average for all sectors in the province, the Forestry industries had the highest proportion 6 of lost-time claims for fractures and Note 7.2 dislocations, at 3.0 times the average, indicating a The CSA standard is designed higher probability or likelihood of this type of injury so that Nature of Injury and Part of Body categories are directly occurring. Lost-time claims for systemic diseases linked when classifying injuries. and disorders and for other traumatic injuries and This is also true for the diseases had proportions 2.4 and 1.9 times higher relationship between the Source than the average for all sectors. For disabling injury of Injury and Type of Event claims these nature of injury categories had categories. proportions that were 2.0, 2.0 and 1.3 times higher than the average for all sectors of the province respectively. 6 The proportion or number of times higher or lower compares the Forestry industries claim rate and proportion of injuries by each injury type against the average claim rate and injury proportion for all sectors in the province. A value equal to 1 indicates an equal probability or likelihood to the average. A value higher than 1 indicates an increased likelihood of this type of injury occurring, and a value less than one indicates a lower likelihood. See Appendix A for calculation details. 22

Table 7.1 Nature of Injury or Disease Alberta: 2008 INJURY AND DISEASE ANALYSIS 7 Nature of Injury Lost-Time % Injury % Traumatic Injuries and Disorders 102 91.9% 145 91.2% Sprains, Strains and Tears 39 35.1% 68 42.8% Fractures and Dislocations 23 20.7% 24 15.1% Surface Wounds and Bruises 15 13.5% 21 13.2% Open Wounds 5 4.5% 7 4.4% Burns 2 1.8% 3 1.9% Other Traumatic Injuries and Disorders 18 16.2% 22 13.8% Systemic Diseases and Disorders 9 8.1% 12 7.5% Neoplasms, Tumors and Cancer 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Infectious and Parasitic Disorders 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Symptoms, Signs and Ill-Defined Conditions Multiple Diseases, Conditions and Disorders Other Diseases, Conditions and Disorders 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Nature of Injury - Unknown 0 0.0% 2 1.3% Total 111 100.0% 159 100.0% 23

Part of Body Injured INJURY AND DISEASE ANALYSIS In 2008, the lower extremities was the main injured body part, accounting for 27.9% of the lost-time claims and 27.7% of the disabling injury claims in the Forestry industries. This was followed by the trunk, at 25.2% and 26.4%, and upper extremities, at 17.1% and 20.8% (see Table 7.2). Compared to the average for all sectors in the province, the Forestry industries had the highest proportion 7 of lost-time claims for other head parts, at 3.3 times the average, indicating a higher probability or likelihood of this type of injury occurring. Lost-time claims where the legs and the other lower extremities had proportions 2.6 and 2.4 times higher than the average for all sectors. For disabling injury claims these part of body categories had proportions that were 2.4, 1.8 and 1.4 times higher than the average for all sectors of the province respectively. 7 7 The proportion or number of times higher or lower compares the Forestry industries claim rate and proportion of injuries by each injury type against the average claim rate and injury proportion for all sectors in the province. A value equal to 1 indicates an equal probability or likelihood to the average. A value higher than 1 indicates an increased likelihood of this type of injury occurring, and a value less than one indicates a lower likelihood. See Appendix A for calculation details. 24

Table 7.2 Part of Body Injured Alberta: 2008 INJURY AND DISEASE ANALYSIS 7 Part of Body Injured Lost-Time % Injury Trunk 28 25.2% 42 26.4% % Back, Including Spine, Spinal Cord 14 12.6% 19 11.9% Other Trunk 14 12.6% 23 14.5% Lower Extremities 31 27.9% 44 27.7% Ankle(s) and Foot (Feet) Except Toes 8 7.2% 15 9.4% Leg(s) 21 18.9% 27 17.0% Other Lower Extremities 2 1.8% 2 1.3% Upper Extremities 19 17.1% 33 20.8% Wrist(s) and Hand(s) Except Finger(s) 12 10.8% 18 11.3% Finger(s), Fingernail(s) 6 5.4% 10 6.3% Other Upper Extremities 1 0.9% 5 3.1% Head 18 16.2% 20 12.6% Eye(s) 4 3.6% 5 3.1% Other Head Parts 14 12.6% 15 9.4% Multiple Body Parts 11 9.9% 14 8.8% Neck, Including Throat 3 2.7% 4 2.5% Body Systems 0 0.0% 1 0.6% Part of Body - Unknown 1 0.9% 1 0.6% Other Body Parts 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Total 111 100.0% 159 100.0% 25

Source of Injury or Disease INJURY AND DISEASE ANALYSIS The source of injury or disease describes the object or substance that came into contact with the worker and resulted in an injury or disease. In 2008, two primary sources of injury in the Forestry industries accounted for just under half of the lost-time claims and over half of the disabling injury claims. Persons, plants, animals and minerals accounted for 27.9% of lost-time claims and 34.0% of disabling injury claims and structures and surfaces accounted for 21.6% and 18.9% of claims respectively (see Table 7.3). Compared to the average for all sectors in the province, the Forestry industries had the highest proportion 8 of lost-time claims for other persons, plants, animals and minerals at 5.5 times the average, indicating a higher probability or likelihood of this type of injury occurring. Lost-time claims for minerals metallic or nonmetallic (except fuel) and vehicles had proportions 3.2 and 2.6 times higher than the average for all sectors. For disabling injury claims these source of injury categories had proportions that were 5.5, 1.4 and 2.2 times higher than the average for all sectors of the province respectively. 7 8 The proportion or number of times higher or lower compares the Forestry industries claim rate and proportion of injuries by each injury type against the average claim rate and injury proportion for all sectors in the province. A value equal to 1 indicates an equal probability or likelihood to the average. A value higher than 1 indicates an increased likelihood of this type of injury occurring, and a value less than one indicates a lower likelihood. See Appendix A for calculation details. 26

Table 7.3 Source of Injury or Disease Alberta: 2008 Source of Injury Persons, Plants, Animals and Minerals Lost-Time INJURY AND DISEASE ANALYSIS % Injury 31 27.9% 54 34.0% % 7 Person-Injured or Ill Worker 20 18.0% 38 23.9% Minerals - Metallic or Nonmetallic (except fuel) Person-Other Than Injured or Ill Worker* Other Persons, Plants, Animals & Minerals 1 0.9% 1 0.6% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 10 9.0% 15 9.4% Vehicles 18 16.2% 24 15.1% Structures and Surfaces 24 21.6% 30 18.9% Parts and Materials 9 8.1% 11 6.9% Tools, Instruments and Equipment 3 2.7% 8 5.0% Hand tools - Nonpowered 2 1.8% 5 3.1% Hand tools - Powered 0 0.0% 1 0.6% Other Tools and Equipments 1 0.9% 2 1.3% Machinery 11 9.9% 11 6.9% Containers** 1 0.9% 2 1.3% Furniture and Fixtures 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Chemicals and Chemical Products 0 0.0% 1 0.6% Other Sources 12 10.8% 14 8.8% Source of Injury - Unknown 2 1.8% 4 2.5% Total 111 100.0% 159 100.0% * Persons other than injured or ill worker: classifies workplace injuries or illnesses inflicted by family members as well as non-family relations, including co-workers, former co-workers, and patients. ** Containers: classifies receptacles that are commonly used to hold, store or carry materials (examples: dishes, cups and glasses, luggage, etc.). 27

Type of Event or Exposure INJURY AND DISEASE ANALYSIS The type of event or exposure describes the incident or event that occurred at the time of the exposure that directly resulted in the injury or disease. The two most common types of events or exposures in the Forestry industries were bodily reaction and exertion, accounting for 27.0% of lost-time claims and 34.6% of disabling injury claims, and contact with objects and equipment, accounting for 27.0% and 24.5%, respectively (see Table 7.4). Compared to the average for all sectors in the province, the Forestry industries had the highest proportion 9 of lost-time claims for other falls at 5.2 times the average, indicating a higher probability or likelihood of this type of injury occurring. Lost-time claims for rubbed or abraded had a proportion 4.6 times higher than the average for all sectors. For disabling injury claims these types of event categories had proportions that were 3.5 and 2.5 times higher than the average for all sectors of the province respectively. 7 9 The proportion or number of times higher or lower compares the Forestry industries claim rate and proportion of injuries by each injury type against the average claim rate and injury proportion for all sectors in the province. A value equal to 1 indicates an equal probability or likelihood to the average. A value higher than 1 indicates an increased likelihood of this type of injury occurring, and a value less than one indicates a lower likelihood. See Appendix A for calculation details. 28

Table 7.4 Type of Event or Exposure Alberta: 2008 INJURY AND DISEASE ANALYSIS 7 Type of Event or Exposure Lost-Time % Injuries Bodily Reaction or Exertion 30 27.0% 55 34.6% Bodily Reaction* 13 11.7% 19 11.9% Repetitive Motion 5 4.5% 14 8.8% Overexertion 8 7.2% 15 9.4% Other Bodily Reaction/Exertion 4 3.6% 7 4.4% Contact with Objects or Equipment 30 27.0% 39 24.5% Struck by Object 16 14.4% 19 11.9% Caught in Object 4 3.6% 5 3.1% Struck against Object 3 2.7% 7 4.4% Rubbed or Abraded 5 4.5% 6 3.8% Other Contact with Object/Equipment 2 1.8% 2 1.3% Falls 25 22.5% 32 20.1% Fall on Same Level 9 8.1% 15 9.4% Fall to Lower Level 11 9.9% 11 6.9% Other Falls 5 4.5% 6 3.8% Transportation Accidents 18 16.2% 21 13.2% Exposure to Harmful Substances 7 6.3% 10 6.3% Assaults and Violent Acts 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Assaults and Violent Acts by Person(s) 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Other Assaults and Violent Acts 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Fires and Explosions 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Other Events or Exposures 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Type of Event - Unknown 1 0.9% 2 1.3% Total 111 100.0% 159 100.0% * Bodily reaction: injuries or illnesses resulting from a single incident of free bodily motion which imposed stress or strain on some part of the body. % 29

Duration of Disability INJURY AND DISEASE ANALYSIS Duration of disability 10 is intended to reflect the severity of the effects of occupational injury and disease as reflected by the number of days off work. The efforts of employers to introduce modified work programs to integrate injured workers more quickly back into the workforce can also impact workdays lost. In 2008, 45.9% of the lost-time claims lasted for 31 days or more, while claims with duration of disability 10 days or less accounted for 36.9% of claims (see Table 7.5). For all sectors in the province, lost-time claims resulting in one to ten days lost accounted for 55.2% of the total claims, while those claims which resulted in 31 or more days lost 20.5%. The median work days lost in 2008 was 18, compared to the provincial figure of seven. The average days lost per claim was 49 days lost compared to the average for all sectors in the province, 22 days per claim. Table 7.5 Duration of Disability Alberta: 2008 7 Duration of Disability % of Forestry Industries' Lost-Time % of Lost-Time in the Province 1-5 Days 27.9% 40.9% 6-10 Days 9.0% 14.3% 11-15 Days 2.7% 7.6% 16-20 Days 2.7% 5.0% 21-30 Days 3.6% 6.7% 31-40 Days 7.2% 4.7% 41-50 Days 2.7% 3.2% 51 Days or More 36.0% 12.6% Unspecified 8.1% 4.8% 10 The duration of disability refers to the length of time, in days, for which the worker receives wage compensation from the WCB. 30

8 OCCUPATIONAL FATALITIES In 2008, the WCB accepted two fatalities in the Forestry industries. A WCB accepted occupational fatality is defined as the death of a worker resulting from a work-related incident or exposure which has been accepted by the WCB for compensation. The WCB classifies occupational fatalities into three general types: Motor Vehicle Incidents Motor vehicle incidents typically involve non-industrial vehicles operating on public roads in which the fatally injured worker was either the driver or a passenger. This type of occupational fatality also includes cases involving aircraft crashes, train crashes, helicopter crashes and water vehicle crashes. In 2008, one occupational fatality in the Forestry industries was motor vehicle incidents (see Table 8.1). Workplace Incidents Workplace incidents consist of cases in which the worker died at a worksite or as a result of injuries sustained at a worksite. This is the type of fatality that E&I typically investigates. In 2008, one occupational fatality in the Forestry industries was a workplace incident (see Table 8.1). Latent Workplace and Motor Vehicle Fatalities Latent fatalities consist of workers who were involved in a workplace incident or exposure, or a motor vehicle incident that did not become a fatality until a much later date, often years later. These incidents were classified as occupational diseases. From 2002, these incidents are separated out and included with either motor vehicle or workplace incident categories in accordance to their original injury. Usually, other contributing factors cause a latent fatality, although these contributing factors are the result of the initial injury or exposure. A motor vehicle incident, where a worker received leg injuries requiring surgery is a good example of this. Complications during the surgery result in a blood clot causing a fatal stroke. Thus, the injury is classified latent because the original injury caused the requirement for surgery. In 2008, no workplace incident fatalities were latent fatalities. Occupational Disease Occupational disease fatalities consist mostly of recognized occupational disease, that is, disease known to be primarily or exclusively work-related such as asbestosis and coal workers pneumoconiosis. This category also includes heart attacks suffered on the job. Occupational diseases are frequently diagnosed several years after the initial or crucial exposure to the toxic substance, and in such cases, it is difficult to determine when the fatal 31