[Sudbury Local 6500] Union probe on Stobie deaths to be made public – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – January 26, 2012)

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

United Steelworkers Local 6500 is “dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s” on its report into its investigation into the deaths of two Stobie miners June 8, 2011, and will share its findings soon with members and the public.

Local 6500 president Rick Bertrand said the union is making sure its report is thorough so that “when we walk away, we can say we’re pleased with the investigation (and) we’ve done everything we can.”

Vale Ltd. released the findings of its investigation Tuesday at a news conference. That report didn’t pinpoint exactly how Jason Chenier, 35, and Jordan Fram, 26, were killed about 9:45 p.m., while working at the 3,000-foot level near the No. 7 ore pass at Stobie.

Kelly Strong, vice-president of mining and milling for Vale’s North Atlantic operations, said six factors contributed to the men’s deaths– water manage-m ent, ore mixing, ore pass management, operational controls, roles and responsibilities, and training and awareness.

Vale’s investigation team made more than 30 recommendations and established an action plan to ensure such fatalities don’t occur again. Many of the recommendations have already been implemented, said Strong.

Bertrand wouldn’t say what will happen with the union investigation team’s findings after they are released.

But Local 6500’s report will be presented to members and the public.

The union’s 2,600 production and maintenance workers were deeply shaken by the deaths, whether they knew Chenier and Fram personally or not.

The union’s goal in its report will be to ensure all workers return home from work safely.

“That’s our No. 1 priority at the end of the day,” said Bertrand. “And we want to make sure that everyone complies with the health and safety rules, and that’s No. 1.”

Bertrand said he has not seen the results of Vale’s investigation into his members’ deaths.
In the past, the company and the union have conducted joint investigations into mining fatalities. But the two couldn’t agree on how the investigation should be conducted and undertook separate investigations.

Vale’s investigation team couldn’t say why the accident occurred, but it offered two scenarios for what might have happened.

One is that a buildup of wet, fine sandy muck stuck above a gate at the 3,000-foot level collapsed and drove its way down the No. 7 ore pass, overtaking the two men.

The other is that there was a hang-up of wet, fine sandy muck above coarser material, which unexpectedly let go.

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