A year after worker dies, Baffinland charged with health and safety violations
Company denies breaches, says it will defend itself
Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. is facing charges over alleged health and safety violations at the Mary River Mine.
Last Thursday the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission filed 16 charges in Nunavut court under the territory's Mine Health and Safety Acts.
Those charges are related to the death of a mine worker who was fatally injured in a vehicle accident one year ago, the workers' safety commission said in a news release Tuesday morning.
The worker, who was employed by a subcontractor, died on Dec. 16, 2018, while operating a haul truck at the North Baffin mine site outside of Pond Inlet.
Alleged violations against Baffinland include "failing to supervise, instruct and train as is necessary to protect the health and safety of workers and failing to provide and maintain healthy and safe work sites," the news release said.
In a statement, the mining company said it did an internal investigation after the accident and worked with police and the workers' safety commission on their investigations.
"Baffinland disagrees with the WSCC's assertion that it has breached the act and intends to vigorously defend itself," the company said.
The commission told CBC News it cannot comment further because the matter is now before the courts.
The matter is scheduled to be heard in court in Iqaluit on Jan. 9, 2020.