Ursa Major Minerals Incorporated T.UMJ

Drilling Stopped due to Accident

[darcelmuchamp]

https://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2958707

Ministry stops work at drilling site near mine
By RITA POLIAKOV THE SUDBURY STAR
Updated 3 hours ago
A Ministry of Labour stop work order has been issued for a drilling site more than three kilometres away from the Shakespeare open pit mine near Sudbury after an accident ended in an amputation.
A George Downing Estate Drilling employee working on the drilling site, which is owned by URSA Major Minerals Incorporated, had part or all of his arm amputated after it got caught in a diamond drill rig on Jan. 18.
The mine is located north of Agnew Lake, near Webbwood, west of Espanola.
Andrew Downing, the exploration manager at George Downing Estate Drilling, which was working for URSA Major, said the accident happened because of a space in the safety guards.
"It was our rig and our employee that got hurt ... We have guards on the machines. The guard was in place. There was a space," he said.
"We're doing everything we can to prevent it from happening in the future."
This includes getting more up-to-date guards.
The ministry is investigating the site, and issued a stop work order in regards to diamond drilling and an order on the diamond rig guards, which ministry officials found to be inadequate, said William Lin, a Ministry of Labour spokesperson.
"There's an issue with the guarding in contravention with the Occupational Health and Safety Act," he said. "The stop work order has been complied with. (It) will remain in effect until the guarding order is complied with."
No information was provided about the employee.
"It was a very unfortunate accident and we're doing everything we can to ensure that that kind of accident never happens again," Downing said.

[throughmud]

darcel, if you know the injured man, please wish him well from the denizens of this UMJ message board.mud