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| Record Number: |
2537 |
| CIS Descriptors: |
CARBON MONOXIDE
MINING
INDUSTRY
UNDERGROUND MINING
POISONING
TOXIC
ATMOSPHERE DETECTION
SAFETY AND HEALTH
TRAINING
PUMPS
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REPORT
CHARACTERISTICS:
DONOR: Office of the Chief
Coroner
JURISDICTION: Ontario
REPORT TITLE: Verdict of
Coroner's Jury
INDIVIDUAL PRESIDING: Dr. W.R. Govan,
Coroner
PLACE OF INQUIRY: Schreiber
DATE OF INQUIRY :
1992-12-09
INFORMATION ABOUT DECEASED:
NAME: Walter
Acker
OCCUPATION: Prospector
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR: Mining
industry
ACCIDENT INFORMATION:
DATE OF ACCIDENT :
1992-07-08
PLACE OF ACCIDENT: Approx. 35' level of a mine shaft
located on the McKenna
McCann property situated approx. 7.8 km
N.W. of Schreiber, Ontario
BRIEF CAUSE OF DEATH: Carbon
monoxide poisoning
BRIEF MANNER OF DEATH: Brought on by the use
of a pump driven by a single
cylinder internal combustion
engine in a confined area.
ACCIDENT DESCRIPTION:
The deaths
involved the two deceased being found in the shaft of an
old
mine that they had started to dewater with a gasoline pump
placed
upon a floatation platform in the vertical
shaft.
RECOMMENDATIONS ISSUING FROM INQUIRY:
1.
Prospectors intending to conduct underground activities
be
required to notify the appropriate ministry.
2. That
a permit should be required for any work by
prospectors
underground and that permit should contain an
outline of planned
work and equipment to be used on the job
site.
3. Mandatory course prior to issuance of a
prospector's license.
4. Compilation of a manual for
prospectors or would be prospectors
outlining safety hazards or
inclusion of safety information in any
current
manual.
5. Persons conducting underground operations should
be required to
possess some form of air quality monitoring
system.
6. Where underground operations are being
conducted, a blueprint of
the mine should be on site if this
information is available.
7. Basic health and safety course
for persons conducting underground
operations.
COMMENTS
ON RECOMMENDATIONS BY CORONER:
The deaths involved the two
deceased being found in the shaft of an
old mine that they had
started to dewater with a gasoline pump placed
upon a
floatation platform in the vertical shaft.
Carbon monoxide
was the cause of the deaths. This was affirmed by
mine rescue
monitors and by the autopsy.
It had been determined that
they had experience as prospectors and
that they had dewatered
the vertical shaft the previous year with an
electric
pump.
Recommendation #1.
It was noted that several
Ministries may have some involvements, eg
Labour/ Environment,
Natural Resources. The intention expressed was
that one could
possiblly identify specific risks and advise the
prospector as
to these risks and the means to avoid them.
Recommendation
#2.
I believe the intent was again to be educational in
purpose and allow
identification of risks and the knowledge of
the individual who will
use such equipment. This would also
result in the recorder of the
permits assuming some
responsibility in the identification of risk
and the education
of the user. A protocol to ensure this would have
to be
developed, as well as a willingness of the ministry employee
to
assume such additional responsibility.
Recommendation
#3.
This I believe will yield benefit in terms of assuring
some degree of
prior knowledge on the part of the prospector in
proper risk
management.
Recommendation #4.
This
could readily become part of the basic course materials
for
recommendation #3.
Recommendaton #5.
This
certainly, if available, could have averted the tragedy.
The
deceased would have known it was unsafe to enter the
vertical shaft
to check the pump. To have same is not
necessarily a guarantee of
usage unfortunately. It would be
easy to ensure, as proof of same
could be part of the
prerequisites to obtaining a permit for
underground type
work.
Recommendation #6.
It was commented upon by
the mine rescue people, that they did not
have a true idea of
the shaft and the distances. Although the bodies
were easily
reached, it could easily have been a different story.
Again
this would be easy to secure by making it part of a
permit
prerequisite.
Recommendation #7.
The
larger operations are already instructed to have same
in
operation. It is the operation of the single or two
prospector claim
that falls through the cracks. This could be
made a prerequisite for
a prospectors' licence, as opposed to
being voluntary.
I would separately comment that the
gasoline pump was marked with
adequate and easy-to-read warning
about safe operation and the danger
of running same in an
enclosed space. It would seem that, in the
haste of things,
this fundamental point was overlooked.
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Health & Safety 