Mine Employer Acts Quickly to Ensure Worker Safety

Capstone Mining acted quickly to ensure the safety of its workers when alerted to a mold problem at a mine in south-central Yukon according to The Canadian Press.

The mold issue was raised during a staff meeting when an employee asked for assurances that the mold did not pose a health risk, Randall Thompson, general manager for the mine, said. Following a meeting of the mine safety committee, two staff wings were vacated.

Forty-six employees and contract workers at the mine were bussed out due to the loss of 78 beds in the 194-bed camp. The workers affected were part of a construction crew, cut to 40 from the original 69 employees, according to Stephen Quin, president of Capstone Mining. He said the mine is working with the construction company to find temporary camp accommodations so the crew returns to work as soon as possible.

Quin said disruption at the open-pit operation due to mold found in the bathrooms of two bunkhouses is expected to be minimal to one. The new water treatment plant is essentially finished and workers are scheduled to leave, he added.

An environmental expert, hired by Capstone Mining, is expected to arrive shortly to assess the mold and determine a course of action. (workersxzcompxzkit)

The Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board was notified of the situation immediately, according to Kurt Dieckmann, the board's director of occupational health and safety. Dieckmann said exposure to mold does not usually cause any significant or long-lasting issues for a typical, healthy person. He said chances are if an employee hasn't already felt sick, he probably won't become ill.

Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers' Compensation costs, including airlines, health care, manufacturing, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. He can be contacted at: [email protected] or 860-553-6604.

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