Guarding Violation Costs Mining Company $75,000

A worker at a nickel mine was operating the controls of a drill when part of his clothes got caught in the drill’s rotating rod. He was pulled into the rod and severely injured. An MOL investigation found that although there was a guard in place on the drill, it didn’t entirely prevent access to the drill’s moving parts. The mining company pleaded guilty to a guarding violation. The court fined it $75,000 [Succession Forage George Downing Ltee./George Downing Estate Drilling Ltd., Govt. News Release, Sept. 14, 2012].