Findings have been released by the B.C. Coroners Service in regards to the industrial death of a Kamloops truck driver at a Spallumcheen facility.
John Elliot Sleypen, 50, was killed Dec. 3, 2014 shortly after 1 p.m. as he was unstrapping a load of timber from a transport trailer. A lift of the timbers slid off the trailer and landed on him.
Sleypen was rushed to Vernon Jubilee Hospital, unresponsive, where he was pronounced deceased.
In her report, coroner Margaret Janzen said Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) investigated the incident, as well, and cited four main factors for the accident.
Contrary to safe unloading procedures, Sleypen was opposite a forklift in the most dangerous zone to be in during the unloading process.
The airbags on Sleypen’s Kenworth travel trailer were not deflated of some pressure prior to loading, causing the driver’s side airbag to be lifted up first before levelling, causing the load to shift as the first timber lifts were being removed.
The tractor trailer unit was parked on a slight incline. And, finally, there was ice and snow on the dunnage (small timbers under each layer of timber to allow forklift access for the lifts’ removal) and trailer, and the plastic tarp covering the lift was slippery.
ESDC made three recommendations as a result of their investigation, which Sleypen’s employer has made efforts to implement.
One, the employer ensures that the dunnage will be provided by the drivers, not the mills, so that drivers can ensure that dunnage is clean and dry.
Two, the employer will discuss their clients use a slip-resistant alternative to plastic tarp.
And, three, the employer consider a peer driver observation program whereby drivers’ activities are observed unannounced by other drivers with a view to safety considerations. Every new driver is informed of this incident by the employer as part of the employment on-boarding process.
The Spallumcheen fabrication facility conducted a review as a result of the incident.
Written unloading procedures were produced which included ensuring that drivers are instructed to proceed to the correct unloading location.
Drivers are to dump air from trailer airbags where necessary and they are to move a safe distance away from the load but stay within communicating distance with the forklift operator. The facility also stopped requesting its lumber be encased in plastic.
Janzen ruled the death accidental and made no further recommendations.
