Last week, Workplace Safety North (WSN) was informed of a fatality of a worker that occurred at a mine site in Red Lake, Ontario. While details have yet to be confirmed, it appears that stored energy may have been a factor.
Following lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures and effectively isolating energy sources is critical to preventing the release of hazardous energy during routine and non-routine tasks. These steps protect workers from serious injuries or fatalities and ensure compliance with safety regulations. Subsection 185(7) of Ontario Regulation 854: Mines and Mining Plants stipulates that stored energy must be dissipated or contained, and that energy isolating devices are engaged, locked, and tagged when work is conducted on a machine. Subsections 185(8)(9) provide further requirements for successful LOTO verification.
Strict adherence to LOTO procedures safeguards both personnel and equipment. WSN encourages workplaces across Ontario to reflect on this hazard and remind workers of the precautions to be taken when working with stored energy. A series of free resources can be found on WSN’s Resources Hub webpage. For more information on legislation addressing this particular hazard in mining operations, consult Section 185 from Ontario Regulation 854: Mines and Mining Plants. Additional information can be found on the Workplace health and safety webpage on the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development website.