TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – The Canadian subsidiary of gold major Goldcorp has been fined C$100 000 following the injury of a mineworker in a 2013 incident.
According to an Ontario Court of Justice bulletin, the incident occurred while workers were performing tasks at the 800 level of the Campbell complex mine, near Balmertown, in the Red Lake district, on October 13, 2013. The tasks included loading haulage cars that were moved using a battery-operated locomotive on tracks; loading was performed using a diesel scoop tram.
During the course of the shift, the haulage cars were returning to the work area where two workers were preparing oversized ore chunks for a blast and a third worker was standing next to the scoop tram. As the haulage cars were returning and approaching the crew, one worker realised the haulage cars were not stopping.
This worker attempted to pull the employee standing by the scoop tram away from the area but that worker was hit by the haulage cars and pinned between a haulage car and the scoop tram. As a result of the incident, the worker suffered cuts and a broken bone.
Justice of the Peace Daisy Hoppe had found that Goldcorp Canada had failed as an employer to take all precautions reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker, as prescribed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Specifically, the company had failed to take the reasonable precaution of ensuring that the operator of the vehicle had a clear view of the path of travel.
In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25% victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge was credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.