For over a decade, the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) Safety Committee has worked to keep our industry safer. The Committee focuses on activities that continue to improve collective safety performance, earn trust from regulators and the public and foster a stronger safety culture among WPAC members.
Recognizing that safety is not an annual event, there are always initiatives just starting, underway, and almost complete. The WPAC Safety Committee 2026-2028 Work Plan reflects this value.
Initiatives to be Completed in 2026
In 2025, the Rotary Drum Dryer Safety Working Group reviewed past incidents and is finalizing a comprehensive report which outlines the findings and recommendations. WPAC will share this report in the coming months via a webinar and a session at the 2026 Safety Summit in June.
To help mitigate seasonal risks and ensure safer winter operations, the WPAC Safety Committee has developed Winter Fibre Truck Loading/Unloading standard operating procedures, which WPAC will share in the next few months.
New Initiatives
The 2026 Safety Summit will be held in Prince George, British Columbia, June 9-10. WPAC will share additional details in the next few months.
Mental Health is integral to safety and well-being. In 2026, WPAC will collaborate with Dalhousie University on exploratory research and will hold a session at the 2026 Safety Summit to promote psychological well-being.
Some of the most common workplace injuries are Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSI), which can result from repeated motions, overexertion or awkward posture. A workshop at the 2026 Safety Summit will focus on ergonomic solutions and injury prevention to address these workplace hazards.
To help first responders and owners of pellet storage facilities address fire and explosion risks, WPAC will host a national webinar on Safe Wood Pellet Handling and Storage to share best practices and lessons learned from international incidents.
Ongoing Initiatives
Designed to systematically identify and mitigate risks associated with combustible wood dust, Process Safety Management (PSM) remains a major initiative for the Safety Committee.
A PSM technical lead has been hired and will coordinate this work with the support of the PSM Steering Committee. Over the coming year, the focus will be on process flow diagrams (PFDs), piping & instrumental diagrams (P&IDs), management of change (MOC) self-assessments, and developing risk-based plans based on gap identification at each plant.
Visit pellet.org for the latest PSM information and materials.
The Safety Committee continues to acknowledge employees who support safety through its Safety Hero Campaign. Every quarter, a worker who promotes health and safety in their organization is recognized in an article and with a Tim Horton’s gift card. If you know a Safety Hero, you can nominate them at pellet.org/safety/safety-hero-award.
The WPAC Safety Committee has developed a wealth of resources over the past eleven years. We will continue to amplify these valuable resources through a mix of online and in-person activities.
The Safety Committee welcomes new members. We meet on the second Wednesday of every month at 11 am (PST). Members represent a broad cross-section of the sector, including the BC Forest Safety Council, the wood pellet and biofuel industry and academic institutions.
To read the Work Plan and sign up, please visit pellet.org.
Dr. Fahimeh Yazdan Panah is the Associate Executive Director of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada.