Ontario miners shoulder cost, responsibility of safety — Amendments to pose few problems

The government of Ontario has drafted a series of amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act aimed at shifting the cost and responsibility of mine safety to producers.

The 55 amendments include: offloading safety inspection and certification of mining installations to professional, public sector engineers; new underground safety regulations; the introduction of longer underground work hours; and the elimination of 14 permits and approvals.

According to the ministry, the amendments are designed “to encourage self-reliance in the mining industry and allow [the government] to focus on development, enforcement and communication of health and safety standards.” John Gill, co-chairman of the Mining Legislative Review Committee, which consulted with the government before the amendments were drafted, explains why the changes were required: “It was housekeeping — the government had to focus on their core business. The mining industry can live with these regulations, and health and safety is the responsibility of the employers anyway. It’s vital we do a good job if we want to stay in business and stay competitive.”

According to John Blougg, manager of health and safety issues for the Ontario Mining Association, the changes are a step in the right direction and may even bolster the industry. “Anytime you remove government authority and transfer it to the workplace, it gives new businesses and investors a greater comfort [because they know] that they have more control of their destiny with respect to how mines operate,” he says.

On the downside, Blougg sees the changes as potentially costly. “Any time a company gets more responsibility, it is going to require more time and effort and, therefore, cost more money. So there will be more cost at the front end.

But the delays in getting permits and approvals will certainly be reduced, so we may be able to get on with operations quicker than in the past.” Gill also sees more costs involved for Ontario producers but notes that it is too early to determine what those costs might be.

What will not be affected, he says, are the daily operations of Ontario’s producers. “I don’t envisage any effect on day-to-day operations, provided producers plan in a timely fashion, and I don’t see any reduction in the protection for health and safety for the workers of Ontario.”