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
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.
Cherry blossoms blooming in Canada: Here's what to know
There is a swaying sea of colour in some cities across Canada, and it's a sure sign of spring: cherry blossoms are in bloom.