Carrier Lumber Ltd., a sawmill in Prince George, was recently fined $30,000 for high accumulations of hazardous dust.
According to the Prince George Citizen, the buildup ranged from one to 10 cm in depth and the hazardous dust was found on cable trays under machine centres; in the merchandising area; in the chip screening area; on a waste conveyor; and on a hydraulic centre reservoir tray and metal wall sheeting near the tray.
Carrier Lumber president Bill Kordyban said the mill is appealing the $30,000 fine.
According to Kordyban, there were no stop work orders issued, and, at the time of the inspection, the violations did not present a high risk of injury to workers.
Carrier was also fined $14,999.29 in October of 2014 for accumulations as deep as 20 cm in various parts of the operation, according to the Prince George Citizen. The company did not appeal that fine.
Regarding the October 2014 fine, Kordyban said the violation occurred in an open air structure located outside of the planer mill.
“There was, therefore, no risk of explosion and, correspondingly, no stop work orders,” he said. “We immediately cleaned the area and have continued to do so ever since.”
