Join industry leaders, safety professionals, and regulators at the 2026 Wood Pellet and Bioenergy Safety Summit for two days of practical learning, collaboration and shared commitment to a safer industry.
Taking place June 9 and 10, 2026, the Summit, hosted by the Wood Pellet Association of Canada’s Safety Committee, in co-operation with the BC Forest Safety Council, WorkSafeBC and media partner Canadian Biomass.
Explore priority safety topics impacting operations today—including rotary drum dryer safety, process safety management (PSM), and emerging safety initiatives. Participants will hear directly from industry experts and regulators, gain insight into current trends, and take part in interactive discussions focused on real‑world applications.
The program also places strong emphasis on worker well‑being, featuring a hands‑on musculoskeletal injury (MSI) workshop and a full‑day mental health workshop, reinforcing the importance of addressing both physical and psychological health in the workplace.
Whether you’re responsible for safety leadership, operations, or workforce health, the WPAC Safety Summit offers valuable opportunities to learn, connect and contribute to safer workplaces across the sector.
Who Should Attend
- Process safety engineers
- Operations personnel
- Control systems programmers
- Maintenance personnel
- Supervisors
- OHS personnel
- Safety committee members
What you should know
Where: Courtyard Marriott, 900 Brunswick St, Prince George, BC
Dates: June 9 – 10, 2026
Registration: $75/person
Register: 2026 Safety Summit
Agenda
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
7:30 am
Breakfast, Registration and Networking
8:30 am
Opening Remarks
Speakers:
- Gordon Murray, Executive Director, WPAC
- Julie Griffiths, WPAC Safety Committee Chair and Production Supervisor, Shaw Renewables
- Mike Tasker, Supervisor, Process Safety and Mega-Projects, WorkSafeBC
9:00 am
WPAC Safety Committee Projects: Progress & What’s Next
Speaker: Julie Griffiths, WPAC Safety Committee Chair and Production Supervisor, Shaw Renewables
Learn about key WPAC safety initiatives in the past year and the upcoming years, and hear how you can get involved and contribute.
9:20 am
Rotary Drum Dryer Safety: Lessons That Prevent Fires
Speakers:
- Jeff Johnston, Vice-President, Technical Operations, Drax
- Hamid Rezaei, PSM Execution Lead, WPAC
Gain insight into key findings from the working group’s report, including common failure modes and near misses, practical do’s and don’ts, and real‑world case learnings on issues such as explosion prevention and isolation.
10:15 am
Break
10:30 am
Process Safety Management (PSM): From Concept to Implementation
Speakers:
- Fahimeh Yazdan Panah, Associate Executive Director, WPAC;
- Hamid Rezaei, PSM Execution Lead, WPAC
- Frank Wall, Operations Superintendent, Premium Pellet
Learn about early implementation lessons and next steps for the PSM initiative. The session will include an interactive Build Your Process Flow Diagram exercise.
11:30 am
WorkSafeBC: Trending Safety Initiatives
Speaker: Mike Tasker, Supervisor, Process Safety and Mega-Projects, WorkSafeBC
Hear about the trending safety initiatives in BC and have your say on what should be included in the upcoming WPAC Safety Committee workplans.
12:00 pm
Lunch
12:45 pm
Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI)
Speaker: Jenny Colman, Human Factor Specialist, WorkSafeBC
Participate in a musculoskeletal injury (MSI) workshop, where you will hear about risks in pellet plants through real‑world examples and case studies, along with practical ergonomic improvements and strategies to reduce injuries and support worker well‑being, reinforced through interactive discussion and group exercises.
3:45 pm
Closing Comments: What Will You Do Differently Tomorrow?
Engage in an interactive discussion on the day’s key takeaways and practical actions you can implement immediately in your workplace.
4:00 pm
Adjournment
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Mental Health & Psychological Workshop
Explore mental health as a core component of safety, including how stress, fatigue, and workload affect decision‑making, and the role of leadership in building psychological safety and supporting workforce well‑being. The session will share practical tools and strategies for supervisors, teams, and organizations through interactive discussions and hands‑on exercises.
Hotel Room Block
If you need a hotel room, we have secured a group rate of $175/night, which is valid until May 7, 2026. Book your room via the WPAC Conference Room Block.