WSIB to spend $6.7M to protect workers in natural resources sectors

The Mining Health and Safety Conference in Sudbury opened with $6.78M announcement to protect workers in Ontario’s natural resources sectors.

On Day 1 of the Mining Health and Safety Conference in Sudbury, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board announced $6.78 million to protect workers in Ontario’s natural resources sectors.

The WSIB is partnering with Workplace Safety North and the Institute for Work and Health on a campaign aimed at enhancing hygiene monitoring practices and reducing exposure to harmful workplace hazards.

“The investment helps businesses in the north by partnering with Workplace Safety North to create training and better understanding of workplace exposures,” said Rod Cook, vice-president of Workplace Health and Safety Services at WSIB.

“This collaboration is about empowering Ontario workplaces to take proactive control of the invisible health hazards workers face every day,” said Mike Parent, president and CEO of Workplace Safety North.

“We’re proud to lead this important work alongside our health and safety partners.”

More than 250 delegates took in Day 1 Wednesday of the annual conference. Events included a keynote presentation from former race car champion Derek Daly, who lived through the hardest crash impact a driver has ever lived survived.

Daly spoke about how his near-death experience led to unprecedented safety initiatives in racing.

“That’s relatable to mining, right?” Parent said.

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“We’re trying to break and move rock and we want to sell. So we’re profitable, but we also want to do it safely.”

Attendees also took in a mining mock trial led by the Toronto office of Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark.

Prevention is key

“We want to focus on the things we do to prevent bad things from happening,” said Parent.

“But there are times (when) bad things happen. And if they’re very serious, the coroner will call an inquest.”

“I’ve done this once before, and even though it’s not real, I had anxiety the whole time,” he added.

“The experience was so real -- and you understand the consequences when bad things happen.”

On Thursday, technical sessions on the latest health and safety research and innovations are being held, covering such topics as the new Mine Safety and Health Administration silica standard and safety culture.

Details of topics being covered at the conference can be found here.