Occupational Health & Safety

Protecting the environment and workers are key goals of the province’s mining industry. The Mining Association of Canada declares the health and safety of Canada’s mining workers to be a "core value with the result that mining is now one of the safest heavy industries in the country.”

 

Throughout Canada, the mining industry’s record on lost time accidents is among the lowest of all industries. According to

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Workplace Health Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC), the lost time incidence rate for the “mining” classification in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2010 was 0.8, less than half the provincial average of 1.8 and lower than all other classifications except “finance, insurance and real estate.”

 

Health and safety is the number one priority at all our mines - all of our mine operators want a workplace free of fatalities, injuries and disease. Operators work with their employees and government inspectors to reach the goal of “zero harm.” All mine sites have on-site management professionals dedicated to health and safety in the workplace. Larger mines have multiple specialized safety trainers on site while smaller mines often contract out safety training to specialist companies.

 

Mining Industry NL has a standing Environment, Health, and Safety Committee made up of senior safety managers from all our mines. The committee is dedicated to sharing best practices and lessons learned, promoting safety initiatives and providing advice to regulatory agencies. The committee meets at least quarterly.

 

We also has an exploration safety group dedicated to helping those in the sector remain safe and healthy by documenting sources of safety information and training and raising awareness of regulatory changes.