Two more miners died in the Sudbury area this week, raising the death toll to six in the past three years. The latest incident happened at First Nickel’s Lockerby mine Tuesday.
Norm Bissaillon, 49, and Marc Methe, 34, contract drillers with Taurus Drilling Services, were killed in a fall of material, preceded by seismic activity, which is believed to have been a factor in the accident.
Nipissing is a close Nickel Belt neighbour and many North Bay and area residents are linked in one way or another to families dependent on their children or parents toiling underground there and north of here.
Whether you knew them or not, it’s important to pause and reflect on how people are dying to make a living. With so many other career opportunities evaporating in this province, it might be your own child, parent or cousin next.
It was less than two weeks ago on April 28 that the National Day of Mourning paid tribute to all those who lost their lives or were injured on the job.
Included in the speeches and media releases were references to a review being conducted into mining safety practices, which came out of a probe of two deaths at Vale’s Stobie Mine June 8, 2011.
Jason Chenier, 35, and Jordan Fram, 26, were killed by a run of 350 tons of muck. An exhaustive United Steelworkers investigation into their deaths pointed out problems with water in the mine and other safety hazards.
Just months later, development miner Stephen Perry, 47, was killed at Vale’s Coleman Mine. On April 6 of this year, millwright Paul Rochette, 36, was killed and a 28-year-old millwright critically injured in an accident at Vale’s Copper Cliff Smelter Complex.
The year-long Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review is being chaired by George Gritziotis, Chief Prevention Officer for the Province of Ontario.
“We must find better ways of protecting people who go into mines every day to earn a living. No job is worth a life. All of us have the responsibility to work together to do what we can to stop these senseless tragedies from happening again.”
Mining, by its nature, is a dangerous task. Burrowing into the ground to remove minerals and precious metals requires extreme effort, vast knowledge and a ton of courage.
The reward is steady work that pays better than most jobs; the risk is death, injury or future debilitation due to exposure to unhealthy air and toxic gases.
Yet, some people wonder why miners unionize and strike over wages, benefits and regular safety training, while supporting political parties intent on improving regulations, oversight and penalties for mine operators.
With a son of my own only a few years out of joining a job market that might push him toward work underground, it makes a lot of sense to me.
For the original version of this article, click here: http://www.nugget.ca/2014/05/07/mourn-for-those-dying-to-live