A progress report has been released on the ongoing Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review, conducted by Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer (CPO). The review was established to provide safety recommendations that mining industry employers must take note of.
The review process will:
- assess current and emerging occupational health and safety issues in the mining sector
- describe the state of health and safety in Ontario mines
- review past recommendations from public enquiries into mining health and safety and from coroners’ inquests into mining fatalities, and
- recommend ways to enhance and improve mining health and safety
As determined from the progress review, safety apparel is one area that needs focus. Improved high-visibility clothing must be used more extensively in mining operations. The Ministry of Labour has released a guideline on improving high-visibility clothing in mining operations, as a result of this finding. Mining employers must review the new guideline to update their practices.
Creating an Ontario Mining Exposure Database to track exposure and illnesses has also been proposed in the progress report. Creating this database may help determine safe levels of exposure to different hazards. Employers should be monitoring these levels to ensure consistency with any new requirements. Also proposed in the progress report, is a study that could help determine what protective equipment would be effective in reducing “foot-transmitted vibrations for operators of underground mining equipment.”
Employers are advised to act on any conclusions arising from the Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review to ensure they meet the requirements. Failure to update their practices may result in penalties. The final report is scheduled to be released in early 2015.