Lucknow Sentinel, 2009-08-05, Page 8Lt know, nrnet,AVeditesday,'Aug i§t, ,,.2009: Page
Labour Minister visits the Goderich Mine
BY
DOMINIQUE
MII.BURN
Signal -Star Staff
Emerging from
the depths of the
world's largest
rock salt mine,
Ontario Minister of
Labour Peter
Fonseca stood
before a gathering
of workers and
said, "what a
remarkable experi-
ence I just had."
One year after
the launch of the
provincial Safe At
Word Ontario
(SAWO) strategy,
Fonseca stopped
by the Goderich
Mine to announce
that during the
month of
September, inspec-
tion. will focus on
hazards involving:
energized electrical
equipment at min-
ing operations
across the
province.
"You've got what
is called the pretti-
est town in all of
Canada, and I have
to attest to that. It's
God's country here,
but what I didn't
know was what a
pretty below-
tl
Photo by Dominique Milburn
Ontario Minister of Labour Peter Fonseca (centre) joined Mine Manager Rowland
Howe, Huron -Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell, Compass Minerals CEO Angelo Rrisimitzalds
and Goderich Mayor Deb Shewfelt for an :inside look at the undergroundfacility.
Fonseca was in' town last week to announce an upcoming safety blitz that will focus on
electrical hazards in mining operations. Fonseca said Goderich was chosen to make the
announcement because of its model health and safety practices.
well," Fonseca to its "exemplary" operations, espe- exposed electrical
said, uncovering a safety _ record. This cially those that equipment, 29
hidden rock of September, health have been marked when employees
halite stowed awayand safetyinspec- as high-priority were working on
P
in pocket. ocket. "I'll tors will focus on due to their possi- energized .equip-
never look at salt electrical hazards bitty of electrical ment :: and seven
the same way involved in the hazards, past corn- were 'working on
again, that's for mining industry in plaints, and poor faulty equipment.
sure." an effort to prevent safety records. Although there
Sifto Salt was workplace injury In Ontario;. there were few injuries
chosen by the and death. Part of have been a report- related to electrical
Ministry as the the Ministry's ed 70 electricity- equipment in the
location to ongoing SAWO related fatalities in mining sector, min -
announce the new campaign, the new all sectors since istry inspectors fre-
spotlight on dee- underground safety 2000. Of those, 34 quently k issue
trical safety in min- blitz will target occurred while orders to mine
:
ing operations due mines and mining workers were near employers .to
Photo by Molly Doyle
Future Firefighters
Cousins Mathew and Brady Johnson play
in the, fire truck at the annual Ripley
Firefighter Breakfast that took place on
Saturday, July 18.
Got a news tip?
CaI$Garitat
the Lucknow Sentinel
519-528-2822
improve their elec
trical safety prac-
tices and protocols.
"We want that
number to be zero.
With the leadership
shown here at
Sifto, we're going
to get to that num-
ber across the
province," Fonseca
said. "The labour
and management
work so well
together here. On
behalf of ' the
Ministry of
Labour, Province
of : Ontario I'd like
to thank you for the
work you do. Our
most important
resource is :people.
At the Ministry of
Labour it's- para-
mount.
Last year,
Ontario's 430 full-
time occupational
health and safety
inspectors ; focused.
on other areas dur-
ing { similar blitzes
including demoli-
tion construction,
and: new and young
workers.
Since 2004,
Fonseca .said the
ministry lowered
lost time injuries in
all industry by 20
per cent.
Tears more
about Ontario's
four-year SAWO
plan, visit the min-
istry web site at
www.labour.gov.o
n.ca.
How to reach us
By mail
Box 400, Lucknow, On
NOG 2H0
By phone 528-2822
By fax 528-=3529
By e --mail
lucksent@bowesnet.com
Web site
WWW.1ucknowsentine1.com
or visit us at .
619 Campbell St.
Lucknow
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