Sold-out conference to cover mining health and safety

Workplace Safety North will host its annual provincial Mining Health and Safety Conference from April 8 to 10 at the Sudbury Holiday Inn.

“We’re in our 17th year and continue to focus on the occupational health and safety approach known as the ‘Internal Responsibility System,’” said Candys Ballanger-Michaud, Workplace Safety North CEO, in a release.

“The IRS (internal responsibility system) speaks to the idea that each and every one of us is responsible for safety. In other words, if you see something you think is unsafe, don’t assume someone else is handling it – you need to take responsibility to ensure no one gets hurt. You are your brother and your sister’s keeper.”

The sold-out conference will feature a number of keynote speakers, including Dr. Lou Francescutti, president of the Canadian Medical Association; William Davis, vice-president of operations at Circadian Technologies; and Tami Helgeson, who works at Goldcorp's Red Lake Gold Mines and lost her son to a construction industry accident.

Workshops will cover the specific mining hazards of ventilation, ground support, and mine rescue, as well as more general workplace safety topics, such as technology, high-visibility safety wear, extreme heat, and the latest research on occupational cancer. More than 20 exhibitors, including 3M Canada, Threads of Life, and Electrical Safety Authority, will participate in the event tradeshow.