Mine Fined $77,550 after Contractor’s Worker Is Struck by Boom Truck

A worker employed by a contractor was working at a Vale mine. He rode a cage down to the 2,400 level and then continued walking down the right side of a ramp at the same time that a Vale boom truck operator was driving down the ramp. The boom truck operator lost control of his vehicle, which started to slide sideways towards the worker. The boom truck struck the worker, pinning him to the drift wall and causing serious injuries. Vale pleaded guilty to violating the Operation of Mines Regulation by failing to ensure that a ramp being used for mobile equipment and pedestrian worker movement had safety stations at intervals not exceeding 30 meters. It was fined $77,550 [Vale Canada Ltd., Govt. News Release, Oct. 4, 2016].