Several amendments to the Mines and Mining Plants Regulations under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act took effect July 1.
The new rules address safety apparel, conveyor guarding and training requirements for diamond drill operators on surface.
As of July 1, workers in underground mines are required to wear high-visibility coveralls, while new regulations for conveyors mandate the use of guarding provisions and allow emergency stopping devices other than pull cords.
The amendments were developed in consultation with the Mining Legislative Review Committee, which was established to provide advice to the Minister of Labour on health and safety issues in the mining sector.
“While it is significant that these new regulations have come into force, our work is never finished,” said George Gritziotis, chief prevention officer for the Ministry of Labour. “We need to be consistently aware of changes in technical and other innovations in the industry that can affect mining health and safety.”
