Blog Post #1656 – Workplace Injury Results In $75,000 Fine for Goderich Salt Mining Company

Report from the government of Ontario’s ‘newsroom’

A worker, employed by Compass Minerals Canada Corp., of Mississauga, Ontario, a salt mining company. was critically injured while assisting with repairs on a flexible conveyor train. By failing to close off the area and position warning signs to protect workers, Compass Minerals Canada Corp. failed to ensure that the measures and procedures as prescribed by section 68 of Ontario Regulation 854/90 were carried out at the workplace, contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

On December 19, 2022, maintenance workers and an electrician were repairing a flexible conveyor train that had partially run off its rails.

To fix the problem, the maintenance workers had to maintain power to the equipment to get it back onto the rails. The electrician left the area while this was being done. The electrician was called back after the maintenance work was completed.

After noticing that the work area was not blocked off and there were no warning signs alerting of a hazard, the electrician assumed the equipment and power were now off. The electrician stepped onto the rail to check the limit switches on the flexible conveyer train. Not knowing that the electrician was there, a worker began moving the train.

Although alarms sounded to warn that the train was going to move, the electrician could not react quickly enough. As a result, they were critically injured.

A Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation determined that the employer failed to protect workers by not positioning warning signs and barriers around repair work that posed a danger or hazard to a worker.

Following a guilty plea in the Provincial Offences Court in Goderich, Compass Minerals Canada Corp. was fined $75,000 by Justice of the Peace Tammy Wah; Crown Counsel was Katie Krafchick.

The court also imposed a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

My opinion

The law(s) in contravention:

Compass Minerals Canada Corp., was found guilty of a contravention of the Ontario Mining and Mining Plants sector regulation 854/90, section 68, which states,

“Where a workplace, travel-way, manway or other area of an underground mine is under repair or where there is a danger or hazard to a worker,

(a) the workplace, travel-way, manway or other area shall be closed by barricades, fencing or other suitable means; and

(b) warning signs shall be posted indicating that it is under repair or indicating the nature of the danger or hazard.”

This contravenes section 25, subsection 1(c) of the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), which states,

“An employer shall ensure that,

(c)  the measures and procedures prescribed are carried out in the workplace”

Where was the supervisor here? Was He/She trained to understand the OHSA and sector regulations? Was the employer aware? Does Compass Minerals have an active and well-trained joint health and safety committee?

All great questions, and again, like many other companies, no positive answers.

HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety needs including ‘Due Diligence’ and ‘Mining Regulation’ 854/90.

Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259.

We can also be reached at 

Ensure your workplace is a safe place.

Remember – In Ontario, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”

‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.

Daniel L. Beal

CHSEP – Advanced Level
CEO & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.