John Vergunst –
Mining Engineer –
Ontario Ministry of
Labour
Nickel Rim South Mine Headframe, Sudbury
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This presentation will
focus on:
• Types of emergencies
• Emergency Training
• Mine Rescue
• Non-fire emergencies
• First Aid
• Evacuation Plans
• Managing accidents
Forest fire near Dryden, Ontario
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PERSONAL INJURIES – evacuation to medical or first aid
treatment – applies to all emergencies
FIRES - surface & underground
- surface fires can be just as deadly as UG, smoke & gases
can get into the fresh air supply fans
NON-FIRE ---TOXIC OR FLAMMABLE GASES
Underground: blasting operations, fire, diesel equipment,
flammable gas, oxygen deficiency
Surface: fires, diesel / gasoline equipment, process upset
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NON-FIRE
EMERGENCIES –
Continued
POWER OUTAGES –
loss of ventilation,
cage & hoist, pumps,
compressed air and
any lights are not
working.
INRUSH OF WATER – failure of water dams or bulkheads, water
seepage through surrounding, water draining from portal
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Ministry mandates training programs for miners & supervisors
Program # 770121 - Modular Training Standards
Common Core First Line Underground Mine Supervisor
Underground Hard Rock Mining
Prepare For Emergencies - Module U6101
Terminal Objectives:
6101.01 - Identify site specific emergency plans & procedures
6101.02 - Ensure equipment & fixtures are in place & operable
6101.03 - Follow reporting/ communication procedures
6101.04 - Review site-specific emergency plans & procedures
with employees
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Employer to assess each site for hazards and have an
Emergency Preparedness Policy which includes:
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Roles and Responsibilities (names, phone numbers)
Communications
Public Information procedures
Emergency Safe Areas
Site Safety and Security
Checklists - Role Checklists Equipment Checklists
Emergency Resources - Contact List (agencies, responders)
Mutual Aid Agreements
Training Employees, Contractors,
Notification and Reporting Review and Debriefing
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Regulations mandate that
underground mines must
have sufficient personnel
trained to respond to an
emergency.
The Mines & Aggregates
Safety & Health
Association (MASHA) –
funded by the mines
through Workplace
Safety Insurance Board is
responsible for the
delivery.
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MASHA provides:
• Mine Rescue Training
Officers to standardize
training throughout the
Province.
• management
response training.
• Mine Rescue
equipment to all mines
(BG4)
• Publishes training
manuals
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Mine Management
Identifies volunteers to be
trained
Ensure volunteers attend
training (6 days / year)
Provide training locations
on site
Ensures staff trained in
management response
Responsible for fire
procedures, drills, refuge
stations
Training with AFFF underground LDI
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Inspectors
Review fire procedures –
warning systems, fuelling
areas, garages
Review UG fire drills &
worker response times
Review number of men
trained & available
Inspect refuge stations – air,
water, integrity
Inspect fire controls – doors,
sprinkler systems, etc
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Underground
Mines
Mandated to train
underground
workers in
extrication &
rescue methods &
provide the
equipment
Provide high-wall
rescue training
(not mandated)
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Mining Plants
Provide for emergency
training in plants – toxic gas
releases
• Warning systems (i.e. HCN
sensors)
• Escape plan
• Re-entry plan
(SCBAs,
control
process, etc)
CVRD Inco smelter, stack with North Mine in foreground
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Underground
Mines
Mandatory advanced first
aid attendants on surface
near the entrance of the
mine.
• Coverage while workers
underground
• Mandatory first aid room
• Evacuation plan if remote
– no nearby ambulance
or hospital
Musselwhite Mine – First Aid Room
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Underground Mines
• most first line supervisors
require to have an
equivalent to Standard St.
John Ambulance First Aid
& cardio-pulmonary
resuscitation (CPR).
• the mines train many of
the workers in first aid &
CPR
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Surface Mines,
Plants & Diamond
Drills
Mandated by Workers Safety
Insurance Board to have first
aid trained workers. (Applies
to all sectors)
WSIB approves firms that
provide First Aid Training
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Surface Mines,
Plants &
Diamond Drills
For remote areas: the
Ministry uses the
General Duty Clause to
have their employers
provide an extrication
plan to get injured
workers to medical
attention
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Need vehicle at
work site
equipped to
extract injured
worker (not a
skidder or bulld
ozer), must be
able to carry a
stretcher in a
reasonably
safe manner
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Need adequate means of
communication
(Sat/cell/radio phone)
Need contact phone
numbers of people
available 24/7 to arrange
rescue
Heliport & Helicopter
arrangements are not
always possible due to
darkness and weather
therefore the vehicle
requirement still stands
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FROM AN
INVESTIGATOR’S
PERSPECTIVE IT IS
IMPORTANT TO:
Attend the site as soon
as possible after being
notified of an accident
and establish your
statutory authority.
Determine the severity
of injuries as a result of
the accident.
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Do not interfere or direct
rescue or recovery
activity. Provide
guidance only upon
request.
Do request that the
accident scene be left
undisturbed to the
extend possible during
rescue or recovery
activity.
Do “Freeze the Accident Scene” upon completion of rescue or
recovery activity (ensure the accident scene is not disturbed).
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Establish that you are in
charge of the
investigation and you
will be interviewing
witnesses, obtaining
records and other
documentations,
drawings, in addition to
conducting a site visit to
the accident scene.
Recognize that rescue or recovery activity is very difficult and
stressful on the participants
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Observe accident
scene. Make
detailed notes and
measurements of
what you observe.
Take lots of
photographs, ditigal
pictures are not
being challanged.
Record photo
locations in notes.
Always remain objective and impartial. Do not offer opinions or
conclusions. Take your time.
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Bring in experts – if
necessary for items such
as equipment failure
(brakes, steering, valves,
metal fatique, etc.)
Experts may recommend
that the equipment or a
part of the equipment be
sent to a specially
laboratory for further
testing.
Sometimes the failure is obvious & has occurred in other mines.
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Conduct witness interviews in seclusion, preferably just you
and a witness.
Recognize witnesses may wish to have someone of their on
choosing present when they make a statement (union
representative).
Transcribe exactly what the witness said – not what you think
was said.
Take detailed notes & include the date and time, as well as
whom was present at all interviews
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Recognize your own
limitations, and always ask
for help from others in
your organization.
Never rush or be rushed in
your investigation of an
accident.
Never make assumptions,
or jump to conclusions.
Always base the findings
of your investigation upon
the evidence collected.
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Never try to make the
evidence fit to a
preconceived notion
and always consider
alternative plausible
explanations.
Determine “what
happened” to cause
the accident and, if
possible, “How to
minimize/prevent
future incidents”
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Never try to make the
evidence fit to a
preconceived notion
and always consider
alternative plausible
explanations.
Determine “what
happened” to cause
the accident and, if
possible, “How to
minimize/prevent
future incidents”
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It is not enough that legislative and company standards are
communicated, understood and followed.
For accidents to continue to decrease behavior must change.
To change behaviors the IRS has to work
In my opinion - The workplace parties
• must be proactive on safety related issues in the workplace
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should conduct joint accident investigations
Need to develop a system to identify and resolve near misses
Must keep up continual dialogue on the importance of a safe
and healthy workplace
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