Recommended Practices for Working Safely Around Blasthole Stopes

Includes hazards, past occurrences, checklists, and sample procedures

Incidents of working around big open holes in Ontario underground mines have resulted in serious injury and death, damage to equipment, and loss of production. Blasthole or Long blasthole stope mining creates large openings that can range in height and width from a few meters to several hundred meters. These excavations pose specific hazards related to workers’ and equipment interaction with the excavations or the openings. The information contained in this reference document is made available as a guide only to assist operations in developing those policies and programs.