A group of workers and family members involved in 2012’s Lakeland Mills and Babine Forest Products explosions have filed claim for a class action lawsuit in BC Supreme Court.
The claim was filed on January 7th 2016 in Vancouver against WorkSafeBC and Province of British Columbia.
The sawdust explosions killed 4 workers and injured more than 40 more.
The claim alledges negligence, saying WorkSafeBC “knew or ought to have known that in sufficient concentrations wood dust is combustible and poses a serious risk of explosion.”
The claim cites multiple reports from American agencies and WorkSafeBC itself that outlines the hazards of combustible dust.
It points to inspections at both mills prior to the explosions that showed dust was a problem and says WorkSafeBC did not take “sufficient action, to minimize or eliminate the combustible wood dust hazard.”
The suit also alledges the investigation into the explosions was botched and “failed or refused to gather evidence of possible criminal wrongdoing adequately or at all.”
The ten plaintiffs named in the suit are claiming punitive, exemplary and special damages for lost wages, re-employment expenses as well as medical, psychotherapy and counselling expenses.
They are also asking for declarations from WorkSafeBC admitting its investigations into the explosions were negligent and that the organization breached fiduciary duties to the members and infringed on their Charter Rights to life or security.
Among the class action plaintiffs is 6 workers, 3 spouses and John Little; the father of Alan Little, one of the fatal victims of the Lakeland explosion.
The class action claim is yet to be certified and none of the allegations have been proven in court.
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