Sawmills in B.C.’s Interior were warned wood dust was an explosive risk before two deadly sawmill explosions earlier this year, in which wood dust is suspected as a factor.
But the advice took a back seat to concern that dust was harmful to workers’ lungs.
In thousands of pages of 2007 to 2011 WorkSafeBC inspection reports, obtained by The Vancouver Sun under a freedom of information request, wood dust was highlighted as a concern nearly 100 times, primarily as a health risk and possible carcinogen.
