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Protected Grounds
The difference between unintentional discrimination and a defensible operation.
What We Are Doing Well
We base day-to-day decisions on what the job requires. We match tasks to skills, tickets, and the hazards on the block, not assumptions about people. Our supervisors line out work to fit strengths and the plan for safety and production, and we explain the why behind assignments. That keeps the crew focused on getting good work done.
Why This Matters To Us
When decisions are steady and fair, crews trust leadership and stay locked on production. If opportunity flows unevenly or camp setups miss the mark, we burn energy on frustration and lose good people. Clear, consistent systems help us build bench strength, hand off work smoothly between supervisors, and keep days moving without drama. This is about running a tight, respectful outfit that people want to come back to.
Our Standard
We make calls on work assignments and opportunities using job requirements, safety, demonstrated skill, and readiness. Training shots and higher-responsibility tasks are shared fairly among qualified workers so people can grow. Camp and housing are set up to give everyone reasonable privacy, dignity, and a clean, safe place to rest. Performance issues and complaints are handled the same way for everyone, promptly and with a clear record of what happened and why. We explain decisions and are open to questions in the field or at camp.
Where We Are Building
We see that similar situations are not always handled the same way, and we are light on notes that show what decision was made and why. That creates confusion, makes handovers harder, and can erode trust when a call looks different from one day to the next.
We see inconsistency in how opportunity moves across supervisors. Some people get more reps at higher-responsibility tasks while others wait longer, even when they are ready. That slows development and weakens our bench when someone is off or a new contract ramps up.
We see that camp and living arrangements have not always been planned with privacy and comfort in mind. When the setup is driven only by logistics, rest suffers and tensions rise. That costs us energy on the block the next day and hurts morale.
Our Next Steps
- Set up a simple decision log that supervisors can fill in on the tailgate: what the call was, the job need it was tied to, and the outcome. Keep it in the truck and snap a photo to a shared folder at the end of the day.
- Run a 15-minute weekly huddle for supervisors to review who got higher-responsibility tasks, equipment time, and training shots, compare across crews, and balance the plan for the week ahead.
- Walk the camp on day one of setup with a short checklist for privacy and rest: sleeping assignments, separation where needed, washroom access, quiet hours, and a named point person for issues.
- Agree on a clear ladder for performance issues and complaints, use the same steps regardless of who is involved, and jot a brief note each time so the next supervisor can see what happened.
- Mid-season, do a short pulse check with the crew focused on housing and opportunity, collect the top three fixes, and close the loop the same week.
Discrimination in Hiring
What fair hiring actually looks like in a fast-moving, referral-driven industry.
What We Are Doing Well
We run a structured, consistent hire from first contact to offer, and our supervisors follow it. Our interviews stick to functional ability and the job requirements, not personal territory. We define and communicate the physical and operational demands of each role the same way to every candidate. When someone shares a health condition, our leaders handle the conversation respectfully and consistently, tied to the work and safety.
Why This Matters To Us
Clear, consistent hiring helps us find strong operators who can handle the work and stick through the season. It keeps decisions fair, protects our crews, and builds trust with the communities we recruit from. When our choices are based on job requirements, we can stand behind them on a tough day or in a complaint. This is how we cut noise, reduce churn, and keep the camp running smoothly.
Our Standard
We define each role’s physical and operational demands in plain language, and share that with candidates up front. We use a structured interview with the same core questions, score answers against the requirements, and avoid personal topics. Supervisors document brief notes, compare against the must-haves, and make the call that best fits the work. If a health limitation comes up, we focus on duties, safe accommodation, and what is needed to perform the job, not private details. The same steps apply across crews so any decision can be explained on the requirements alone.
Where We Are Building
All items for this module are in place, and we will revisit them before next season to make sure we stay tight and consistent.
Our Next Steps
- Run a preseason 30 minute calibration with all supervisors to walk through the job demand sheet, the core interview questions, and how we score answers.
- Have a senior lead sit in on the first two interviews of the season on each crew to confirm consistency and offer quick feedback.
- Do a mid season spot check: pull two interview note sets from different crews and confirm the hire or no hire ties straight back to the stated requirements.
- Hold an end of season debrief to capture what worked, what did not, and update the job demand brief and question set for next year.
Duty to Accommodate
Balancing fairness to the individual with the realities of the operation.
What We Are Doing Well
We bring a finding what is possible mindset when a worker flags a limitation. We work it out together by listening first, weighing safety and production, and looking for short term adjustments that keep essential duties covered. We know there are limits in forestry work, and we aim to explain the why when something cannot be done. We also understand that keeping a record helps us stay consistent across crews and shifts.
Why This Matters To Us
We want to keep good hands on the crew and not lose people over issues that can be solved with a reasonable adjustment. Straight, respectful conversations keep trust in camp and help us handle tough situations without drama. Clear, consistent calls reflect how we want to operate and protect safety, quality, and timelines. Doing this well supports morale and our reputation with clients and regulators.
Our Standard
When a worker tells us about a limitation, we pause and ask questions to understand the issue and whether it connects to a protected ground like injury, disability, family status, religion, or pregnancy. We identify the essential duties of the role, then explore reasonable ways the worker might keep doing those duties safely, including temporary task swaps, schedule tweaks, or added support. We involve the supervisor and, if needed, management, keep the worker in the loop, and weigh safety, crew impact, contract requirements, and cost. We write down what we discussed, what we tried, what we decided, and for how long, and we set a check in date to see how it is going. If an adjustment is not feasible without undue hardship or safety risk, we explain the reasons plainly and look at other options within our operational reality.
Where We Are Building
We need clearer eyes on when a situation calls for an accommodation talk, not just a visible injury. Family status, religious observance, pregnancy, or mental health can show up in attendance or performance. We want a simple way to sort essential duties from nice to have and a shared method for testing adjustments so decisions are consistent from block to block.
Our supervisors can do a better job of starting these talks with curiosity instead of jumping to a yes or a no. We want workers to feel safe flagging limits early, without worrying about being cut from the crew. Building that trust, while staying straight about safety and production, will help us solve more problems on the spot.
We do not yet have a consistent way to record what was discussed, what we tried, and why a request was accepted or declined. Without that, calls can vary by supervisor and we lose the trail if a situation carries into the next shift or a crew change. We also want clearer language for explaining operational limits so a no is respectful, backed by reasons, and leaves the door open to other workable options.
Our Next Steps
- Put a one page crib sheet in each crew truck that lists protected grounds with examples and a simple flow: hear the issue, confirm essential duties, explore options, decide, set a check in.
- Create a two page note template for supervisors to capture date, issue, essential duties, options tested, decision, reasons, and next check in, and keep copies in a shared folder.
- Run a 30 minute tailgate practice on opening these talks and on explaining limits with clear reasons, using real scenarios from our work.
- Draft short essential duties lists for key roles this season, so supervisors have a common reference when weighing adjustments.
- Set a standing rule that any adjustment gets a follow up within two weeks, and confirm where the notes live so any supervisor can pick up the file.
Duty to Prevent
Building the conditions where problems are less likely to occur — and easier to address when they do.
What We Are Doing Well
We already treat our leaders as reporting points, and our crews know who is running the piece. We talk openly about setting the standard and making it safe to speak up. When issues come up, we try to handle them straight and with respect so people feel heard. We want our day to day tone to match the kind of camp we want to run.
Why This Matters To Us
We know that without clear expectations and a simple path to raise concerns, small problems turn into big ones that slow the operation and affect trust. Consistent leadership tone matters, because crews take their cue from the person holding the radio. Written policies and training keep the message the same across camps and shifts, not just depending on who is on site. Getting this right keeps production steady and keeps people willing to surface issues early.
Our Standard
We set a clear bar for respectful behaviour on and off the block. Supervisors model that bar, keep conversations respectful, and are the first reporting point for any concern. Every worker can bring an issue to a supervisor or an alternate contact without fear of blowback, and will be told what will happen next and when. We handle concerns promptly, document what we do, and keep people in the loop. Retaliation has no place in our outfit.
Where We Are Building
We do not yet have a simple, written description of what respectful behaviour looks like for our crews, so expectations drift camp to camp. Tightening this up will give everyone the same starting point and reduce confusion at season start and during crew changes.
We have not laid out a clear pathway for raising concerns or what to expect after speaking up. Without that road map, people may sit on issues or pick informal channels that do not resolve the problem.
Our leadership tone is not consistently set across supervisors. When the tone varies, the crew gets mixed signals about what is acceptable and whether it is safe to bring things forward.
We lack written policies and proof that leaders have been trained on respectful conduct. This makes it hard to keep standards consistent, hand off between supervisors, or show that we followed through when something comes up.
Our Next Steps
- Draft a one page code of conduct in plain language for our camps and blocks, review it at season kickoff and first tailgate, and post it in the mess tent and crummies.
- Print wallet cards and cab stickers that list two reporting options: direct supervisor and an alternate contact with phone number and radio call sign.
- Run a 60 minute supervisor session before deployment on how to receive concerns, listen, document, and respond without retaliation.
- Set up a simple concern log: date, who raised it, who received it, action taken, and update the worker, then review the log weekly with management.
- Do a mid season check by asking each crew if they know the standard and the reporting options, then fix any gaps on the spot.
Duty to Recognize
Bringing the same situational awareness you apply to physical risk into how you read your crew.
What We Are Doing Well
We stay on top of crew dynamics and notice when the tone, pacing, or mix on a crew shifts enough to warrant a closer look. Our leaders read more than obvious harassment: we pick up on uneven treatment, brewing tension, and accommodation needs and step in early. When a concern involves a supervisor, our crews have a clear path to someone else with the authority to act, and we use it. We understand the duty to respond kicks in as soon as we become aware of something, even informally, and we move on it.
Why This Matters To Us
Running a tight outfit means catching small problems before they chew up time, trust, and production. We believe crews work best when people know leaders are paying attention and will act on early signals, not just wait for a formal complaint. Clear escalation, including when the leader is the problem, keeps confidence high and prevents issues from getting personal or spreading across camps. Early action protects relationships, keeps contracts on track, and keeps our reputation solid.
Our Standard
Our standard is to stay attuned to how crews are mixing on the block and in camp, and to treat any credible signal as a reason to check in. Supervisors are expected to notice changes in mood, grouping, radio chatter, and output, then pull people aside promptly and ask what is going on. We note what we observed, take reasonable steps the same day, and loop in management when authority or neutrality is needed. If a concern involves a supervisor, we bypass that person and escalate straight to another designated contact with the power to act. We do not wait for paperwork or perfect certainty before responding.
Where We Are Building
All current checks in this area are in place and working, and we will revisit them next season to make sure they still fit our crews and contracts.
Our Next Steps
- Hold a preseason tailgate refresher on early signal recognition and the trigger to respond, using scenarios from last season.
- In week one of each project, post and brief alternate reporting contacts at camp and in rigs, and test that the numbers work by text and phone.
- Schedule a mid-season pulse check where each supervisor does a short one-on-one with every crew member focused on crew dynamics and any uneven treatment or accommodation needs.
- Keep a simple log each time we intervene on an early signal: what we saw, what we did, and who we looped in, so follow-through is tracked.
- Do an end-of-season debrief with supervisors to capture near-misses and tighten the playbook for next year.
Duty to Respond
What good response looks like when it matters most.
What We Are Doing Well
We move fast when a concern lands, and our supervisors make sure the worker is heard and taken seriously. We check for immediate risk and take protective steps on the spot when needed, and we know who has the authority to make those calls. Similar issues are handled the same way across crews, which workers recognize as fair. We follow through with investigation, documentation, and closing the loop with the people involved.
Why This Matters To Us
Early action keeps small problems from turning into big ones and protects production and safety. Consistent handling across supervisors builds trust and keeps the crew focused on the work, not on guessing how things will be treated. Clear authority and solid documentation let us stand behind our decisions with workers, clients, and regulators. In remote camps and tough terrain, straight answers and a fair process are part of running a good outfit.
Our Standard
When a concern is raised, the immediate supervisor listens, thanks the person, and notes the key facts and timing. If there is any safety, harassment, or conflict risk, the supervisor makes protective changes right away, such as separating people, reassigning travel or camp space, pausing work, or calling in another lead. The supervisor notifies the Operations Manager or Safety Lead the same day and logs the issue on our incident form. The Operations Manager decides if a formal investigation is required, assigns an investigator, and sets a tight timeline. We document every step and report back to the person who raised it and anyone affected with the outcome and next steps.
Where We Are Building
All parts of our duty to respond process are in place and working, and we will revisit them in preseason to make sure they still fit our crews and terrain next season.
Our Next Steps
- We run a 20 minute start of season drill at each camp on first response and protective action, using a recent field scenario.
- We hold a cross crew calibration call in week two to compare how similar concerns were handled and align thresholds.
- We do two random mid season file checks to confirm notes, decisions, and close out communications are on record.
- We post a one page flowchart of our response process in crummies, crew rooms, and the cook shack.
- We send a two question anonymous pulse check in weeks three and seven asking workers if responses feel timely and fair.
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