Mining companies have no tolerance for marijuana usage or any other drug that would impaired the ability of their employees to work safely.
No matter what the federal government has to say about the relaxed law regarding the use of recreational marijuana that comes into effect on Wednesday October 17, it won’t change the drug use policies set down by any of the major mining operations in the Timmins area.
Given that the people employed in the local mines and milling complexes often work with heavy equipment, expensive equipment and in some hostile environments, the buzzword is that any employee showing up for work must be unimpaired.
Pierre Noël, the Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator at Goldcorp Porcupine Gold Mines (PGM) said safety is the key concern. “Being fit for work. That is the still the golden rule at PGM,” he said.
Noël said no matter what legislation is in place, it doesn’t change the fact that that the company will not allow any substance — even over the counter medications – that might affect a person’s ability to work safely.
“Regardless of the law, you have to be fit for work. So anything that would impede your ability to work safely or risk the safety of others, you cannot be under the influence of anything,” he said.
For the rest of this article: https://www.timminspress.com/news/local-news/maryjane-and-mining-dont-mix-despite-the-new-relaxed-law