Mining company sentenced in Wabush Provincial Court

The Department of Government Services announced today that the Iron Ore Company of Canada was sentenced in Provincial Court on August 9, 2006 upon pleading guilty to two violations of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act.

Charges were laid in May 2005 following an investigation into an accident which occurred at the Humphrey Main Pit, located at the mine in Labrador City, in May 2003. One worker suffered several fractured ribs and multiple fractures of the collar bone upon falling just over six feet while performing maintenance work on a piece of heavy equipment. The investigation was conducted by the OHS Branch of the Department of Government Services.

Following the Crown�s presentation of an agreed statement of facts, the company pled guilty to two charges involving the lack of a safe work procedure and lack of guardrails to protect the worker from falling. The company was fined $7,500 on each count, and ordered to contribute $2,000 to the Minister of Government Services for the purpose of public education. Two other charges were withdrawn.

Media contact: Vanessa Colman Sadd, Communications, (709) 729-4860, 682-6593

2006 09 12                      10:00 a.m.