O. Reg. 291/02: MINES AND MINING PLANTS

 

ONTARIO regulation 291/02

made under the

occupational health and safety act

Made: October 16, 2002
Filed: October 21, 2002
Printed in The Ontario Gazette: November 9, 2002

Amending Reg. 854 of R.R.O. 1990

(Mines and Mining Plants)

1. Regulation 854 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990 is amended by adding the following section:

11.2.1 (1) Employers engaged in hard rock underground mine operations shall establish and maintain the training program described as Basic Underground Hard Rock Mine Service Types — Common Core (Program #P770225).

(2) Employers shall train workers in the common core module described in subsection (1),

(a) by December 31, 2003 if the worker commenced employment on or before December 31, 2002; or

(b) within 12 months after commencing employment, if the worker commences employment after December 31, 2002.

(3) Subsection (2) does not apply if the worker successfully completed the program described in subsection (1) before being employed by the employer.

(4) A certificate of achievement showing that a worker has successfully completed the training program referred to in subsection (1), issued by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, is conclusive proof for the purposes of this section of the worker’s successful completion of the program.

2. Section 11.3 of the Regulation is amended by striking out “11.1 (4) or 11.2 (5)” and substituting “11. 1 (4), 11.2 (5) or 11.2.1 (4)”.

3. Section 84 of the Regulation is revoked and the following substituted:

84. (1) If a worker may be endangered by the withdrawal, collapse, shifting or movement of bulk material such as rock, ore or other material in a stope, pass or chute or in a storage area, the employer shall ensure that written procedures for the precautions to be taken before, during and after removal of the material are established and followed.

(2) The written procedures required by subsection (1) shall address the following matters:

1. The conditions under which workers are required to wear a fall arrest system.

2. The communication of hazards to all persons who may be at risk.

3. The identification of those locations that are not safe for workers to enter.

4. The need to post warning signs that indicate the nature of the danger or hazard and the need to erect barriers to prevent inadvertent access to the area.

5. Any additional protection to be provided to workers required to enter or work in the area.

(3) No worker shall be positioned so that when the worker is pulling a chute his or her access to an exit from the area may be blocked by an uncontrolled run of material, water or slime.

(4) A mechanical locking device shall be installed on overcut power operated chute gates, so that the gate may be locked in the open or closed position.

(5) A power-operated safety guard or gate shall be designed and installed to minimize hazards when the power fails.

4. Section 118 of the Regulation is revoked and the following substituted:

118. (1) When material is dumped from a vehicle that is occupied by a person, the dump point shall include features designed to prevent the vehicle from going over a bank, over a bench or into a raise or other open hole.

(2) In an underground mine, the features referred to in subsection (1) shall not include the use of a ridge of material.

5. Section 120 of the Regulation is amended by adding the following subsections:

(8) All fuel handling, transfer, storage and dispensing systems in an underground mine shall be designed according to good engineering standards and subjected to a fire safety hazard review before first use.

(9) The employer, in consultation with the joint health and safety committee or the health and safety representative, if any, shall develop appropriate safeguards and procedures for the safe handling, transfer, storage and dispensing of fuel in an underground mine.

6. Section 136 of the Regulation is amended by adding the following subsections:

(8) Subject to subsection (9), if a frozen cut is encountered, drilling may be done only if it is done in accordance with methods and procedures developed by the employer and the workers involved in the task and agreed on by the joint health and safety committee or the health and safety representative for the workplace.

(9) No collaring may be done within 300 millimetres of a frozen cut or if there is a possibility of intersecting any portion of a frozen cut, unless the methods and procedures of subsection (7) are used.

(10) In subsections (8) and (9),

“frozen cut” means the first holes blasted in a development round that do not break the rock as intended, but rather shatter and cover over with no explosives visible.

7. Section 215 of the Regulation is amended by adding the following subsection:

(5) The following apply if a hoist is installed on or after October 25, 2002 or if a brake control system or clutch control system on a hoist is modified after that date:

1. The hoist shall be designed and equipped with at least two independent clutch brake interlocking systems to prevent any single component from causing a failure.

2. The hoist shall be designed so that the clutch brake interlocking systems may be safely examined.

3. The clutch control shall be designed so that the selection of clutch disengagement automatically applies the clutch drum brake.

8. Section 263 of the Regulation is amended by adding the following subsections:

(2) Subject to subsection (3), between sunset and sunrise, every worker shall wear retroreflective material on headgear and outer clothing that enables the worker to be seen.

(3) A worker is not required to comply with subsection (2) if the worker is in a booth, vehicle cab or another protective enclosure or if a work area is provided with fixed lighting that enables the worker to be seen.

9. Subsection 280 (3) of the Regulation is revoked and the following substituted:

(3) The employer shall ensure that all potable drinking water in a mine or mining plant complies with,

(a) the Ontario Drinking Water Standards referred to in Ontario Regulation 459/00 (Drinking Water Protection — Larger Water Works); or

(b) the regulations governing pre-packaged water made under the Food and Drugs Act (Canada).

10. (1) Subsection 292 (1) of the Regulation is amended by striking out “a code of practice” and substituting “a written description of work practices”.

(2) Subsection 292 (2) of the Regulation is amended by striking out “A code of practice” at the beginning and substituting “The written description of work practices”.

(3) Subsection 292 (3) of the Regulation is amended by striking out “a code of practice” and substituting “the written description of work practices”.

11. Subsection 293 (1) of the Regulation is amended by striking out “a code of practice” and substituting “a written description of work practices”.

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