Ontario has about 40 underground mines, with about 25,000 workers. Minerals such as copper, nickel, gold and other precious metals, diamonds, salt and gypsum are extracted from these underground mines, most of which are located in Northern Ontario.

Ontario also has several thousand surface mines, with about 20,000 workers. Minerals such as gold, palladium, platinum, nickel and copper as well as material such as limestone, sand and gravel are extracted from these surface mines.

The ministry’s Mining Program continues to focus on areas where worker safety may be compromised and to work with stakeholders to ensure that all workplaces comply with current regulatory requirements. In 2016-17, mining inspectors were on the lookout for issues related to:

  • ground control
  • water management in underground mines
  • remote control equipment
  • explosives

Mining blitzes

In 2016-17, the Mining Program conducted three blitzes aimed at: reducing fall hazards, promoting safe material tramming in mines and promoting safe work processes at mine plants.

Fall hazards

Between 1991 and 2015, 10 workers died in Ontario mines as a result of incidents involving falls. Falls do not have to be from a high location to cause serious injury or death. Many accidents occur at ground level. Injuries can occur due to trips related to poor housekeeping or uneven ground. To protect workers, all fall hazards must be addressed and safe guards must be in place.

From May 16 to July 15, 2016, ministry inspectors visited mining workplaces across Ontario where workers might be at risk of falls. They targeted workplaces where: there was a high frequency of injuries involving falls; complaints had been received or previous incidents had occurred; and there was a history of non-compliance.

Table 26: Fall hazards blitz stats
Program activities Number
Field visits 113
Workplaces visited 95
Orders and requirements issued 363
Stop work orders 26
Orders and requirements per field visit 3.21
Orders and requirements per workplace visited 3.82

Resources

Safe material tramming underground and surface mines

Workers are at risk of serious injury or death if they are exposed to hazards while operating a motor vehicle or are in an area where a motor vehicle is being operated. Safe measures and procedures must be in place to protect workers.

In September and October 2016, inspectors visited underground and surface mines across Ontario. This enforcement blitz targeted hazards that could result in worker injury or death when material is moved by rail, haulage trucks or load, haul and dump equipment.

Inspectors checked that employers were complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations. This included checking that mine operators had proper procedures in place to assess and address hazards involving the moving of material.

Table 27: Safe material tramming underground and surface mines blitz stats
Program activities Number
Field visits 19
Workplaces visited 19
Orders and requirements 40
Stop work orders 2
Orders and requirements per workplace visited 2.11
Orders and requirements per field visit 2.11

Resources

Processing – safe work practices – mine plants

Between 2000 and 2015, four workers died in Ontario mines as a result of incidents involving processing equipment in smelters, refineries and mills in mining plants. Employers are responsible for protecting workers from hazards related to processing in mining plants.

Table 28: Processing – safe work practices – mine plants blitz stats
Program activities Number
Field visits 38
Workplaces visited 17
Orders and requirements issued 97
Stop work orders 6
Orders and requirements per workplace visited 5.74
Orders and requirements per field visit 2.55

Resources

Provincial mining enforcement initiatives

During 2016-17, provincial compliance and enforcement initiatives in the mining sector focused on ground control, mine shaft audits and mine hoists - automation.

Ground control

Ground instability is one of the biggest causes of fatalities in underground mines in Ontario. Since 2000, 10 workers have died and nearly 50 workers have been critically injured in underground mines in Ontario as a result of falls of ground or rockbursts.

Falls of ground or rockbursts occur when rock becomes dislodged from the roof or walls of an underground excavated site. The amount of rock displaced can vary from hundreds of kilograms to thousands of tonnes.

From April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017, the Mining Program continued to work to improve safety in underground mines, focusing specifically on ensuring compliance with:

  • a ground control plan
  • ground support quality control
  • ground instability record keeping
Table 29: Ground control initiative stats
Program activities Number
Field visits 18
Workplaces visited 15
Orders and requirements issued 75
Stop work orders 6
Orders and requirements per workplace visited 5.00
Orders and requirements per field visit 4.17

Resources

Mine shaft audits

From April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017, electrical/mechanical inspectors focused on mine shafts to ensure requirements are being met.

Inspectors checked the following critical points:

  • shaft inspection procedures
  • shaft log book entries
  • conveyance guides measurement
  • frequency of measurements
  • moisture content (i.e. compliance with the manufacturer’s recommendation for the particular conveyance guide)
Table 30: Mine shaft audits initiative stats
Program activities Number
Field visits 2
Workplaces visited 2
Orders and requirements issued 10
Stop work orders 1
Orders and requirements per workplace visited 5.00
Orders and requirements per field visit 5.00

Resources

Mine hoists - automation

The mine hoists – automation initiative focused on ensuring that employers were complying with requirements related to:

  • training for hoist trades (electrical and mechanical)
  • level of understanding of the control systems
  • safety circuits
  • access to automated systems (i.e. level of protection)
Table 31: Electrical/mechanical inspectors mine hoists - automation initiative stats
Program activities Number
Field visits 1
Workplaces visited 1
Orders and requirements issued 3
Stop work orders 0
Orders and requirements per workplace visited 3.00
Orders and requirements per field visit 3.00

Resources

Regional mining enforcement initiatives

Northern Region

Point-in-time inspections to include both surface and underground operations

In 2015-16, the Northern Region piloted and has since adopted an inspection model that provides a “point-in-time” holistic picture of a mine’s health and safety program and its Internal Responsibility System. Initially, the model involved a team of people – mining inspectors, electrical mechanical mining inspectors, the regional program coordinator and engineers – conducting a top-to-bottom inspection of the mine over three to five days. Now, the point-in-time inspections are conducted by specialized professional services staff and the engineering portion of the inspection is done independently.

Table 32: Point-in-time inspections to include both surface and underground operations initiative stats
Program activities Number
Field visits 47
Mines visited 4
Orders and requirements issued 227
Stop work orders 12
Orders and requirements per field visit 4.8
Orders and requirements per mines visited 56.8

Electrical/mechanical inspections underground

As part of the “point-in-time” inspection model, the electrical mechanical inspectors review the electrical feeds from the surface feeding the underground mines and then follow up with specific underground equipment inspections. This review is in addition to the inspections done by the mining inspectors, the regional program coordinator and the specialized professional services staff.

Table 33: Electrical/mechanical inspections underground initiative stats
Program activities Number
Field visits 18
Mines visited 4
Orders and requirements issued 89
Stop work orders 7
Orders and requirements per field visit 4.9
Orders and requirements per mines visited 22.3