Vale Employees Return to Sudbury Mines
02/08/2012 - Vale announced that employees have begun returning to the company’s five Sudbury area mines following a temporary suspension of operations to focus on safety. Operations were temporarily suspended after an employee was fatally injured on January 29.
Vale announced that employees have begun returning to the company’s five Sudbury area mines following a temporary suspension of operations to focus on safety. The company noted that the process of returning to work will continue in the coming days.
Operations were temporarily suspended after an employee, Stephen Perry, was fatally injured on January 29 while working in the main ore body at the 4215-ft level of Coleman Mine in Levack.
Upon returning to work, mine employees and managers will work together in the short term on tasks associated with safety and risk management, according to Vale, with production recommencing once outstanding safety items are addressed.
With stockpiles of ore available for processing at the company’s mill and smelter, Vale does not anticipate any impact on production as a result of the temporary suspension of operations.
“Mine managers and supervision, along with Worker Health and Safety Representatives, have been working on plans to address immediate safety items in the workplace,” said Kelly Strong, Vice President Mining & Milling (North Atlantic) and General Manager, Ontario Operations. “Similar meetings have occurred across all of our surface plants and other departments in Sudbury. The best way to achieve our safety goals is by working together to ensure that hazards across all work areas are managed in an effective and timely way.”
