Law reduces exposure to harmful chemicals and allows robots to detect hazards.
New rules to improve ventilation requirements in underground mines and lower exposure to harmful diesel exhaust to the most protective levels in North America came into effect July 1. Long-term exposure to diesel exhaust can be a significant cause of lung cancer in miners.
Regulations will also allow for the use of track-mounted robots in mines to increase safety. These specialized machines with a high-definition camera will be controlled by an operator to identify loose rocks, misfired explosives and other safety hazards, while keeping workers out of danger.
These amendments respond to calls from unions for a reduction of how much diesel particulate miners can be exposed to underground and follow recommendations from the Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review and recent coroner’s inquests.
Quick Facts
- Regulatory amendments will come into force on July 1, 2023, and others in effect on September 1, 2023, to allow employers time to comply.
- Effective September 1, 2023, the new exposure limit will be a time-weighted average exposure to elemental carbon of not more than 0.12 milligrams per cubic metre of air, instead of 0.4 milligrams per cubic metre of air based on total carbon.
- Ontario’s allowable level of exposure to harmful substances from diesel exhaust in underground mines will now be the most protective in North America.
- Ontario has approximately 5,000 operating mines, 37 of which are underground. About 12,000 miners work below ground and Ontario mines employ approximately 29,000 workers in total.
