Investigation Results - Ambulance Response at Bull Arm

Kevin Aylward, Minister of Environment and Labour, stated today that an investigation by Occupational Health and Safety staff into the January 12, 1997 medical emergency at the Bull Arm site has been completed. The results of the investigation reveal that there was no breach of occupational health and safety legislation by the Hibernia Management and Development Company Ltd. The minister initiated the investigation upon learning of the incident.

The incident occurred when Mr. Randall Noseworthy, a 56 year old insulator working on the platform at the Bull Arm site suffered a heart attack and had to be taken to hospital in Clarenville. There is some indication that a lack of communications on the site did contribute to a delay in the response, but there is no evidence that laws were broken.

The minister stated that "operations with more than 200 employees are required under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to have a nursing station on site. Anything more than this is done at the discretion of the company." In this case, the company did provide the level of emergency response required by law and hence the department has no grounds to lay charges. The minister also stated that to date, the level of medical services provided by the company has been exemplary and he understands that the company is again reviewing its policy and procedures with respect to medical and emergency response. Company officials have also informed the minister that, effective immediately, an emergency response vehicle has been assigned to the nurse on site with back up via the Mosquito Cove Fire Department Response Vehicle, which had previously been equipped for transport of injured personnel and was the site transport vehicle.

Contact: Sean Kelly, Director of Communications, (709) 729-2575