Bear Awareness: Safety Training for Field & Outdoor Workers

WORKPLACE SAFETY TRAINING

BEAR AWARENESS

FOR FIELD & OUTDOOR WORKERS

Forestry | Oil & Gas | Utilities | Remote Operations

Know the Risk. Follow the Protocol. Stay Safe.

Mandatory Safety Training | All Outdoor Field Personnel

SECTION 00

COURSE OVERVIEW

What you'll learn in this training

Why Bear Awareness Matters

Bear Species in Your Work Area

Understanding Bear Behavior

Recognizing Bear Signs

Attractant Management

Encounter Prevention

If You Encounter a Bear

Reporting & Emergency Response

Bear Spray: Use & Carry

Your Responsibilities & Sign-Off

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 01

WHY BEAR AWARENESS MATTERS

700,000+

Black Bears in North America

Frequently encountered in forestry & oil & gas regions

~40

Bear Attacks Reported Annually

Many involve workers in remote or industrial settings

#1

Wildlife Hazard for Field Workers

Bears top the list of wildlife incidents in remote operations

⚠ Bear encounters are PREVENTABLE. Training saves lives.

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 03

UNDERSTANDING BEAR BEHAVIOR

DEFENSIVE BEHAVIORS (Orange Accent)

Huffing & Jaw-Popping

Vocal warning signs. Bear feels threatened. Back away slowly.

Bluff Charge

Bear charges but stops. Stand your ground. Do NOT run.

Swaying Head

Sign of stress or agitation. Give the bear space immediately.

PREDATORY BEHAVIORS (More Dangerous)

Stalking / Following

Bear is tracking you. This is predatory. Deploy bear spray immediately.

Silent Direct Approach

No warning, focused approach. Rare but serious. Fight back if attacked.

Night-time Camp Intrusion

Predatory behavior. Make noise, use deterrents, never play dead.

Defensive attacks = Play dead (Grizzly) | Predatory attacks = Fight back (Both species)

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 04

RECOGNIZING BEAR SIGNS IN THE FIELD

TRACKS & PRINTS

Front paw: 4–6 inches wide

Grizzly: long claw marks ahead of toes

Black bear: shorter, curved claw marks

Check muddy areas near water

BEAR SCAT

Tubular, 1.5–2 inches diameter

Contains berries, hair, seeds

Fresh = bear nearby

Do NOT approach — mark location and alert team

CLAW MARKS & RUB TREES

Vertical claw marks on trees

Hair caught in bark

Usually 4–7 feet high

Common along travel corridors

DIGGING & DISTURBANCE

Overturned rocks & logs

Dug-up anthills or bee nests

Ripped-apart stumps

Fresh sign = high risk zone

⚠ ANY fresh bear sign = Stop work, assess hazard, notify supervisor

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 05

ATTRACTANT MANAGEMENT

Bears are drawn to food, garbage, fuel, and equipment — your worksite must be clean.

DON'T

DO

Leave food or garbage unsecured at camp or vehicles

Eat in tents or sleeping areas

Leave cookware, dishes unwashed

Store scented items (toiletries, fuel) inside tents

Leave bait, fish scraps, or game near camp

Allow garbage buildup at worksites

Leave bear attractants near equipment or fuel tanks

Store all food in bear-proof containers or vehicles

Use designated waste disposal — seal all bags

Clean up food waste immediately after meals

Keep cooksite 100m from sleeping area

Report all bear activity to supervisor

Use electric fencing around camps when required

Follow site-specific bear management plan

Unsecured attractants = increased risk of bear encounters for your entire crew

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 06

ENCOUNTER PREVENTION

MAKE NOISE WHILE WORKING

Talk loudly, use bear bells, clap hands when moving through dense bush. Bears avoid humans they can hear.

WORK IN GROUPS

Never work alone in high-risk zones. Minimum 2-person rule in bear habitat areas.

CARRY BEAR SPRAY

Always accessible — not in your pack. Know how to use it before you need it.

SCAN YOUR SURROUNDINGS

Look for signs before entering new areas. Check sight lines, brush density, and escape routes.

AVOID DAWN, DUSK & NIGHT MOVEMENT

Bears are most active during low-light hours. Limit solo movement during these times.

KNOW YOUR SITE HAZARD LEVEL

Review the Bear Hazard Assessment for your work area before starting each shift.

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 07  —  CRITICAL PROTOCOL

IF YOU ENCOUNTER A BEAR

🐻 YOU SEE A BEAR

STOP. Stay calm. Do not run. Speak in a low, calm voice.

Does the bear notice you?

<b>Back away slowly.</b><br>Keep eyes on bear.<br>Move to safety.

✓ RESOLVED

Make yourself look large. Stand tall. Speak firmly.

Is the bear charging?

<b>Continue backing away.</b><br>Do not turn your back.<br>Report to supervisor.

DEFENSIVE OR PREDATORY CHARGE?

DEFENSIVE CHARGE

(stops or bluffs)

DEPLOY BEAR SPRAY at 10-15m

If contact occurs:

PLAY DEAD (Grizzly) or FIGHT BACK (Black Bear)

PREDATORY ATTACK

(silent, focused)

FIGHT BACK WITH EVERYTHING

Use bear spray, tools, noise.

NEVER PLAY DEAD FOR PREDATORY ATTACKS

⚠ NEVER RUN FROM A BEAR — it triggers chase instinct. You cannot outrun a bear.

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

NO

YES

NO (Moving Away)

YES (Charging!)

DEFENSIVE

PREDATORY

SECTION 08

BEAR SPRAY: USE & CARRY

HOW TO USE IT

CARRY IT ACCESSIBLE

Holster on hip or chest strap. NOT in your backpack.

REMOVE SAFETY CLIP

Flip up or remove the safety tab before a charge occurs. Practice this motion.

AIM SLIGHTLY DOWNWARD

Point at the ground in front of the charging bear at 10–15 meters.

DEPLOY IN A WIDE BURST

Spray 3–5 second burst creating a cloud the bear runs through.

BACK AWAY

Move upwind immediately after spraying.

SECONDARY SPRAY READY

Keep can ready in case of continued approach.

CARRY & CARE RULES

Bear spray is mandatory in all bear-active zones

Check expiry date — replace if expired

Min. 225g canister (7.9 oz), 1% capsaicin minimum

Check pressure indicator before each shift

Store at room temperature — not in hot vehicles

Practice draw and deploy motion regularly

One canister per person — not shared

Bear spray is NOT insect repellent. Do NOT apply to skin or gear.

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 07B | PLAY DEAD vs. FIGHT BACK — KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

PLAY DEAD

Defensive Attack — Grizzly Bear

When a grizzly makes contact in a DEFENSIVE attack (surprised bear, mother with cubs)

Fall face-down, flatten on ground

Clasp hands behind neck

Spread legs to make it harder to flip over

Stay completely still and silent

Wait until bear leaves the area

Remain still for several minutes after

⚠ Only effective for DEFENSIVE Grizzly attacks

FIGHT BACK

Predatory Attack — Either Species

When a Black Bear attacks (any attack) OR when a Grizzly makes a PREDATORY attack at night or pursues you

Do NOT play dead

Be loud, aggressive, intimidating

Deploy bear spray immediately

Strike nose, eyes with any available object

Use tools, rocks, sticks — fight hard

Call for help immediately after

⚠ Playing dead during a predatory attack = fatal mistake

BLACK BEAR = Always fight back | GRIZZLY = Fight back if predatory; play dead if defensive

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 09

REPORTING & EMERGENCY RESPONSE

IMMEDIATE RESPONSE

1. ENSURE SAFETY

Move crew to safe location. Account for all personnel. Do not return to incident area.

2. CALL FOR HELP

Contact supervisor immediately. If injury: call emergency services (911). Use radio if no cell service.

3. PROVIDE FIRST AID

Administer first aid if trained. Keep victim calm and warm. Do not remove victim from scene unless immediate danger.

WHAT TO REPORT

When reporting a bear incident, record:

Date, time, and GPS location of incident

Bear species, size, and behavior observed

Number of bears (lone, sow with cubs, etc.)

What triggered the encounter (surprised, attracted by food, etc.)

Actions taken and outcome

Any injuries or property damage

Names of all witnesses

WHO TO NOTIFY

Supervisor

Site Safety Officer

Wildlife Authority / Conservation Officer

HR / Incident Management

All bear encounters — even near-misses — MUST be reported. No exceptions.

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 10

WORKSITE BEAR HAZARD LEVELS

HAZARD LEVEL

DESCRIPTION

INDICATORS

REQUIRED ACTIONS

LOW

Bears present in region but not on site

No recent sightings, tracks, or scat within 5km

Standard bear awareness. Carry bear spray. Report any sightings.

MODERATE

Bears active in work area — signs observed

Fresh tracks, scat, or sightings within 1km in past 7 days

Noise protocols. No solo work. Secure all attractants. Daily hazard check.

HIGH

Bears regularly visiting worksite or camp

Direct sightings on site, evidence of bear in camp or equipment area

Stop non-essential work. Electric fencing required. Conservation Officer notified. Enhanced protocols.

CRITICAL

Aggressive bear on or near site — immediate threat

Bluff charge, attack, or predatory behavior observed

EVACUATE area. Call 911. Do not return until clearance from authority.

⚠ Hazard level is assessed daily by site supervisor — check before every shift

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 11

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A FIELD WORKER

Every worker has a duty to protect themselves and their crew.

COMPLETE YOUR TRAINING

Complete and sign off on bear awareness training before starting work in bear-active zones. Recertify annually.

CARRY BEAR SPRAY

Bear spray must be on your person — accessible at all times — during all fieldwork in bear habitat. Not optional.

REPORT ALL SIGHTINGS

Immediately report any bear sightings, tracks, scat, or encounters to your supervisor. Do not wait.

FOLLOW SITE PROTOCOLS

Adhere to your site's Bear Safety Plan. Follow all attractant management, noise, and movement protocols.

LOOK OUT FOR YOUR CREW

Buddy system in all high-risk areas. Communicate your location. Check on team members during shift.

NEVER APPROACH OR FEED A BEAR

Do not approach, corner, or attempt to feed any bear. Habituated bears are dangerous and must be reported.

Your safety is YOUR responsibility. Know the rules. Follow the plan. Protect your crew.

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition

SECTION 12

KEY TAKEAWAYS & TRAINING SIGN-OFF

REMEMBER THESE 6 RULES

TRAINING ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Stay Alert. Make Noise. Carry Your Spray. Go Home Safe.

Bear Awareness Training | Field Worker Edition | Annual Recertification Required