Province will hold public inquest for deaths in high-risk workplaces including construction, mining and woodland operations
New Brunswick is going to make a coroner's inquest mandatory for all high-risk workplace deaths.
Amendments to the province's Coroners Act would ensure a public inquest each time there is a death at a woodland operation, sawmill, lumber processing plant, food processing plant, fish processing plant, construction site or mining site (including a pit or quarry).
"It will be through this kind of public scrutiny that we will reduce workplace hazards," said Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General John Foran.
"Mandatory inquests into high-risk workplace deaths will expose unsafe practices in these industries, as well as systemic problems that contribute to an unsafe work environment."
The province's coroner's service is mandated to review all suspicious or questionable deaths in New Brunswick and conduct inquests as required.
Amendments to the province's Coroners Act would ensure a public inquest each time there is a death at a woodland operation, sawmill, lumber processing plant, food processing plant, fish processing plant, construction site or mining site (including a pit or quarry).
"It will be through this kind of public scrutiny that we will reduce workplace hazards," said Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General John Foran.
"Mandatory inquests into high-risk workplace deaths will expose unsafe practices in these industries, as well as systemic problems that contribute to an unsafe work environment."
The province's coroner's service is mandated to review all suspicious or questionable deaths in New Brunswick and conduct inquests as required.
