Safety Star Audits with a Spotlight on Sundre
At West Fraser, we prioritize employee well-being by having safety as our top priority. Everything we do starts with safety and a commitment to make sure that everyone who sets foot on a West Fraser workplace stays safe.
A key component of our safety commitment is the process of auditing each division’s site, equipment, systems and processes, specifically from a health and safety systems perspective.
“Regular audits across our operations see how well we comply with regulations, standards and best practices – and where we have opportunities for additional training,” said Troy Withey, Corporate Safety Manager. “We have been conducting safety audits for nearly two decades
at our sites but in the last year we’ve progressed to the new Safety Star Audit, which we think will further enhance our safety culture and performance.”
A significant rework of the audit process began in 2022. The rework provides a foundation for improving safety across the organization by combining key audit processes of the OSB mills, including the Safety Star system, with the compliance audit process of legacy West Fraser mills.
Over 2024, many mills will go through this new audit system for the first time. Many mills in lumber and engineered wood will be new to the Safety Star Audit system.
Spotlight on Sundre Forest Products
Last fall, Sundre Forest Products became our first lumber mill to achieve the level of Safety Star One. Sundre Forest Products is unique within West Fraser as it is home to two divisions–Sundre Lumber and Sundre Treated–on the same site.
Safety culture and providing a safe workplace for our employees is of the utmost importance.
Jason Foote, General Manager, Sundre Forest Products
Adds Jason, "We are extremely proud to be the first lumber division to have received the Safety Star One recognition and to be on the path to an interdependent safety culture.”
“Our goal is to move every mill to the Safety Star Three level, which reflects a culture where safety is truly sustainable, with injury rates approaching zero. People feel empowered to function as needed to work safely and support and challenge each other.” Troy Withey, Corporate Safety Manager.
