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RED LAKE, ON,
Aug. 25 - Placer Dome (CLA) Limited, a mining
corporation carrying on business as Musselwhite Mine, which is
located about
650 kilometres (404 miles) northwest of Thunder Bay, Ont. was
fined $350,000
on August 24, 2006 for a violation of the Occupational Health
and Safety Act
that resulted in the death of an employee.
On June 28, 2004, two workers were performing underground gas
checks
after a rock blast when one of the workers fell about 12 to 15
metres (39 to
49 feet) into an open hole, landing on recently blasted rock.
The worker died
as a result of the fall. The incident occurred about 450
metres (1,476 feet)
below surface at Musselwhite Mine.
A Ministry of Labour investigation found the workers were not
consistently following standard safe procedures for
"post-blast clearance gas
checks" (checks done to determine whether there is any
presence of gases after
rock is blasted).
Following a trial, Placer Dome (CLA)
Limited was found guilty, as an employer, of
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failing to take the reasonable precaution of
developing standard safe procedures for post-blast
clearance gas checks; and/or |
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failing to ensure standard safe procedures for
post-blast clearance gas checks were followed. |
This was contrary to Section 25(2)(h) of the act.
The fine was imposed by Justice Peter Bishop of the Ontario
Court of
Justice in Red Lake. In addition, the court imposed a
25-per-cent victim fine
surcharge, as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The
surcharge is
credited to a special provincial government fund to assist
victims of crime.
Source:
http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2006/08/25/c8599.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html
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