It is, without doubt, the worst part of the job for WorkSafeBC occupational safety officer Dave Tasker.
In his 26-year career overseeing the northern half of the province from his Prince George office, he has had to visit the families of 34 workers who died as a result of workplace injuries.
Tasker shared that sobering statistic Monday morning with a crowd of 80 gathered at the Workers’ Memorial Statue at the base of Connaught Hill during the National Day of Mourning, a ceremony held annually across Canada on April 28.
“It’s something you never lose — you carry it with you your whole life,” said Tasker. “And working in remote communities, we often don’t get the support as easily available to the families.
“The effects of psychological injury are real, and we’re now standing up a whole new force of focus for our office on psychological health and safety.”
Tasker was among the responders to the two deadly mill explosions in 2012 — at Babine Forest Products in Burns Lake that January, and at Lakeland Mills in downtown Prince George in April. Each of those incidents killed two workers, injured 20 or more others, and left emotional scars on hundreds.
“I can tell you that it changed me, and it changed those companies, the workers, and the community at large,” he said. “There’s no going back from a workplace death, and for those of us in the field — being WorkSafe officers — it really means we redouble our efforts.
“Those of us who have experienced the effects of when things go so badly wrong — it drives us. You’ll never find a more passionate group of people in your life than WorkSafe officers trying to make ceremonies like this unnecessary.”
Tasker pointed to the multi-storey Park House condominium under construction next to the memorial site, noting the rooftop guardrails and fencing in place as examples of how workplaces are becoming safer. Industry standards and the enforcement of safety regulations have significantly reduced hazards compared to when he started working for WorkSafeBC in 1999.
“The rate of injuries when I joined 26 years ago was three times what it is now,” he said. “That’s reflective of a combination of effort — from employers, workers, labour, and the regulator — coming together to try and solve the problems in the workplace that lead to death and injury.
“It is better than it was, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. But if we keep that commitment, we can get there.”
In B.C. in 2024, 146 workers lost their lives due to workplace injury or disease. Of that total, 38 died from injuries involving falls, being struck by objects, or becoming caught in equipment or machinery. Thirty deaths resulted from motor vehicle accidents. Two of the fatalities occurred in Prince George.
Greg Stewart, president of Sinclar Group Forest Products — owner of Lakeland Mills — attended Monday’s ceremony. He said the company considers it critically important to make job sites safer for all employees.
“Obviously, we’ve had unfortunate losses within our own operation, and it’s a day to reflect on those lives, as well as those who have been injured in the past,” Stewart said. “We constantly strive to be safer in the work environment.
“For sure, there’s a lot of luck that we don’t have more people suffer workplace injuries, but we’ve put a lot of attention into making sure we have a safe work environment. And it’s a testament to the individuals working the jobs that they’re constantly looking for those hazards and making sure they’re not putting themselves at risk.”
Stewart said there are broader lessons to be learned, and the Day of Mourning serves as a reminder to everyone.
“Whether you’re at home or at work, safety has always got to be front of mind,” he said. “Whether it’s going up the ladder to get the leaves out of the trough or making a decision to clean up a jam in the workplace environment — they all present safety risks, and we just have to keep our eyes and ears open.”
Retired Prince George Fire Rescue firefighter Eric Callaghan attended the ceremony alongside active-duty firefighters Alan Parsons and Kyler Wilkinson. Dressed in uniform and carrying ceremonial axes, they paraded past the wreaths placed at the workers’ statue.
They were there to honour the memory of Terry Gladesdahl, a 36-year veteran of the Prince George Fire Department who died Dec. 29, 2021, at age 64, from occupational cancer.
“He was the last member of our department who passed, and he went on the wall at the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs three years ago,” said Callaghan.
“I’m not sure of the number of cancers, but there are a lot more now covered off by WorkSafeBC for all firefighters. We do everything we can to mitigate any problems, but things happen — and we do what we’re trained to do.”
Monday’s event was hosted by the Central Interior Labour Council. All four flags at the site were lowered to half-mast to pay tribute to fallen workers.
