2 workers for the mining company died in June 2011
The United Steelworkers (USW) is calling on the Ontario government to consider laying criminal charges against officials and management at Vale, and the company itself, for the deaths of two workers last year at the Stobie mine in Sudbury, Ont.
The government must immediately establish a commission of inquiry into mine safety, the union said after releasing a report on the incident.
“Vale showed a reckless disregard for the safety of its employees at the Stobie mine, something that could warrant criminal charges,” said Leo Gerard, international president of the Steelworkers. "Following an explosion at the Westray Mine, the Canadian Criminal Code was amended making it a criminal offence to ignore workers' health and safety."
The USW report charges that Vale management had ignored ongoing problems with flooding in the mine.
The mud and ore was created by excess water in levels above where Chenier and Fram were killed. The water on those levels was four and five feet deep, the report said.
Workers described repeated hang-ups, or obstructions, in the ore-pass or passage that carried material down to the level when Chenier and Fram were working. Clearing these hang-ups is one of the most dangerous jobs in underground mining, according to the report.
The USW said it believes Chenier and Fram were trying to do exactly that when wet ore burst out and buried them. Jason Chenier erected double guardrails to prevent the dumping of any more wet ore into the ore-pass. The company has provided no explanation for the removal of the guardrails, the report said. The USW report made a total of 165 recommendations to improve safety at Stobie and other Vale mines in Sudbury and Ontario.
