Springtime Necessities of Bear and Wildlife Safety

Spring is a time when bears are very active. Bears (and other wildlife) can pose a
serious threat to workers in wilderness areas. Employers need to assess the risk and
develop an emergency response plan.
Assessing and planning for the risk of wildlife encounters
Employers and workers should consider more than just bears when working in bear
country.
Anaphylactic shock from biting insects can be fatal, for example. People can develop
allergies to bees and wasps at any time, so it’s important to have access to an epi-pen
or antihistamine.
Employers and their workers need to know what types of hazardous animals may be
encountered on their worksites – from large predatory mammals down to insects and
rodents.

Tips for preventing bear and cougar encounters:

• Work in groups — bears and cougars are unlikely to attack a group.
• Keep your camp and work areas clean. Keep food away from sleep and work
  areas and pack all food and garbage in scent-proof canisters.
• Make noise to alert the animals to your presence.
• Watch for signs that an animal is in the area. Leave the area if you see
  droppings, tracks, scratched trees, or food caches.
• Never approach bear cubs or cougar kittens.

Credit: WorkSafeBC