Act addresses logging safety: tree harvesting one of Ontario's most dangerous occupations. (Safety: Special Report).

For the first time Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act Section 104-106 has been amended with the intention of mandating safety training for specific tree-harvesting equipment operators and supervisors.

"It's not a secret tree harvesting is one of the three most dangerous occupations in Ontario," Rob Ashley, spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour, says.

In fact, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) indicates between 1995 and 2000 there were 29 fatalities in the logging industry. The most common accidents occurred in woodland operations. This is why the Ministry of Labour has mandated training programs.

"In the past the only piece of equipment found in the forest were skidders," he says. "That has changed."

With the introduction of delimbers and feller buncher equipment, to name just a couple, tree harvest operators must become experienced in manipulating machines with and without load. They must undergo training programs, which detail health and safety issues, along with hands-on demonstrations. Employers are required to provide orientation on the first working day for each new employee.

Log cutters and skidder operators will need to complete a training program, which includes practical instruction along with classroom training pertaining to health and safety. Students will have to register with Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities (MTCU) for hands-on performance-based training, which specifically pertains to their duties. They will then have to complete the program within one year of registering for it.

Specific training for each piece of equipment is mandatory before an employee is designated to their particular station. Operators are not the only ones who must keep abreast of training concerns; supervisors must also complete program evaluations immediately after classroom-instructional time.

The amendment has the support of Ontario Forestry Tri-Partite Committee (which represents industry and labour) and the Forestry Safe Workplace Association. Ultimately the goal is to reduce the number of accidents-on the job, which in turn will lower insurance costs for the company.

Enforcement commenced June 2002. Ministry of Labour inspectors can issue an 'order to comply' document based on the employer's willingness to train and accessibility of training resources available in the region. The order will have a specific date for compliance. The employer may need to supply a compliance plan to the officer specifying the time when training is to begin and end for the workers in the logging operation.

This program will not affect existing skidders and logging cutters, including apprentices. Should experienced operators want to complete the safety classroom training and the practical aspects, which relate to the operator's duties, they could then be MTCU approved. Only new operators will be affected. Classroom training is expected to last a day with a cost of $65 per person.