Malfunctioning automatic doors caused worker's death at northern Ont. mine
A Toronto-based mining company has been fined $300,000 for a workplace fatality that took place last year at Hemlo Mine near Marathon, Ont.
Williams Operating Corp. was penalized for the July 14, 2021, death in which the victim was in an area where work is usually done by self-driving trucks.
While there were no witnesses to the death, it’s believed the worker was crushed by malfunctioning automatic doors.
Workers normally aren’t deployed in that area, but on that day, electrical maintenance had shut the gold mine down for a full day.
“An employee of a contractor … was involved in the process of clearing and readying the automation zone of the mine for use by the night shift, which had just begun,” said a news release Friday from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
“The automation zone is an area of the mine where autonomous trucks, which do not have drivers physically located on the trucks, are operated. Personnel are normally excluded from the area.”
The worker received a call that an automatic gate in the area needed to be reset. The worker went to the gate to reset it.
“The location to reset the gate is near what is known as the F-belt access doors,” the release said.
“While there was no witness to the event, it is believed the worker attempted to go through the doors and was fatally injured while doing so.”
The automatic doors are supposed to open in the event of a power outage, to allow miners to evacuate. However, the system that controls this was somehow reversed.
“The F-belt access doors functioned in reverse of this, defaulting to a closed position following a power outage,” the release said.
“In these circumstances, Williams failed as an employer to ensure that door controls were installed, and the installation was maintained as designed.”
The company pleaded guilty in a Marathon court and will also pay a 25 per cent victim surcharge fine.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.