MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINES
Report of Inspector of Mines
Industrial Hygiene
(Issued pursuant to Section 15 of the Mines Act)
Mine No.: 1610173
Permit No.: G- -225
Emp/Cont: 20 / 0
Orders H&S: 8 RECL 0
Stop Work: 0
Andrew Sinstadt, M.Sc.
Inspector of Mines, Occupational Health Signature – Inspector of Mines
6th Floor, 1810 Blanshard St Victoria BC V8W 9N3
Mine Name: Orca Sand & Gravel Ltd. Location: Port McNeil / 50.583, -127.140
Owner/Operator: Orca Sand & Gravel Address: PO Box 699
Port McNeil BC V0N 2R0
Manager: Brian Buckley Areas Inspected: shop, laboratory, crushing plant, and pit operations
Date of Inspection: 2017/05/16 Accompanying Inspector(s):
Karena Davidson, Occupational Health Co-op Student
Persons Contacted Management: Jim Foldy, Tyson MacKay
OHS Committee: Rob Olsen
# Workers Contacted: 7
A copy has been forwarded to the Joint Occupational and Safety Committee and the union as applicable. The Mine manager shall complete the Manager’s Response section, noting specific corrective actions taken by a specified date, and return a copy to the Inspector within 15 days of receiving the report. Further the manager shall post a copy to the bulletin board, to be replaced by a copy showing the manager’s response. In this document, Code means Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia.
PREAMBLE:
An inspection was conducted on May 16th, 2017, by Andrew Sinstadt, Occupational Health Inspector and Karena Davidson, Occupation Health Co-op Student. The purpose of this visit was to follow up on items from inspection report 70836, dated November 22nd, 2016, conduct an occupational health inspection, and conductmonitoring for airborne Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) and formaldehyde. Whole Body Vibration (WBV) and noise sampling was also conducted. The sampling results for DPM and formaldehyde will be provided in a subsequent report once analysis is complete. The inspection focused on the shop, the laboratory, crushing plant and pit operations. Jim Foldy was acting as the mine manager at the time of inspection.
INSPECTION ORDERS:
1. PART: 2.1.3 Monitoring Contaminants
At the time of the inspection, the Workplace Monitoring Program was in development. Previous sampling for respirable crystalline silica and diesel exhaust yielded invalid results due to technical difficulties and
miscommunication with analytical laboratories. Tyson Mackay, stated that he had contacted a consulting company to help with developing and implementing the Workplace Monitoring Program and to provide training and
recommendations to facilitate its ongoing effectiveness.
Order: As per section 2.1.3, the mine manager shall establish a written program, in accordance with the chief inspector’s publication “Workplace Monitoring Procedures Manual” for a qualified person to monitor workplace contaminants as often as necessary to ensure compliance with section 2.1.1. The program shall specify the substance and locations to be monitored and the frequency of monitoring. Continued development of this written program is expected and will be subject to follow-up. Within 15 days, please provide the dates for the proposed site visit by the consulting firm, an expected timeline for completion of their report and an expected completion date for the written Workplace Monitoring Program.
2. PART: 1.6.9 and 1.8.1 Respiratory Protection Program
At the time of inspection, a written respiratory protection program was not available. It was stated by Tyson MacKay that respiratory protection is provided to workers and that fit testing is done annually. Records of fit testing were not observed during the inspection.
Order: As per section 1.6.9, the manager shall develop a respiratory protection program that includes training on appropriate use, storage, maintenance and limitations of the equipment, as well as, information on the respirators available on site, the contaminants they protect against and the tasks/areas where respiratory protection is required. Within 30 days, the mine manager shall submit a completed respiratory protection program.
3. PART: 2.4.1 Emergency Wash Facilities
At the time of inspection, immediate access to the eyewash station located in the shop entranceway closest to the office building was impeded by freight storage.
Order: As per section 2.4.1, the mine manager shall sure that eyewash stations are immediately accessible and not located in areas where storage of goods may restrict access. Within 15 days, please relocate the eyewash station to a suitable location and provide photographic evidence of the new location.
4. PART: 2.3.5 Hazardous Dust
Shop vacuums are used on site to remove accumulated dust and dirt from equipment and surfaces. The potential hazard of these vacuums redistributing fine particulate without the proper filter in place was identified in inspection report 70836 (November 11th, 2016). The site has procured high efficiency filters for the vacuums, however, the HEPA
dust.
Order: As per section 2.3.5, the mine manager shall ensure that in a building where dust or other material could, by becoming airborne, be potentially hazardous if inhaled or ingested, it shall be removed by suitable means such as vacuuming, wet sweeping or be suppressed. Within 30 days, the mine manager shall ensure that appropriately rated HEPA filters are installed into all shop vacuums used to capture dust. Please provide documentation indicating the rating of the filters chosen.
5. PART: 2.13.11 Supplier Material Safety Data Sheets
At the time of the inspection, the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) in the shop had not been updated within the previous 3 years.
Order: As per section 2.13.11, the mine manager shall obtain up-to-date supplier MSDS. Within 30 days, the mine manager shall ensure that all MSDS on site are updated.
6. PART: 1.9.1 and 2.1.1 Workplace Conditions and Maximum Allowable Exposures
At the time of inspection, a ventilation system was not available in the laboratory aside from a small window. With drying, shaking and analysis of product being done in this area, there is potential for respirable dust to become airborne and accumulate.
Order: As per section 1.9.1, the mine manager shall take all reasonable and practicable measures to ensure that the workplace is free of potentially hazardous agents and conditions which could adversely affect the health, safety or well-being of the workers. Where practicable, controls shall be instituted at the source to ensure that workers are not exposed to a health hazard in excess of the limits specified in section 2.1.1. Within 30 days, the mine manager shall indicate the steps that will be taken to comply with this order and provide reasonable dates for completion of each step.
7. PART: 2.4.1 Emergency Wash Facilities
At the time of inspection, there was no emergency eye wash equipment immediately available in the laboratory where persons may be exposed to eye irritants.
Order: As per section 2.4.1, the mine manager shall ensure that eye wash equipment are immediately available to effectively cleanse the affected body area. Within 15 days, the mine manager shall install an eye wash station in the laboratory area. Please provide photographic evidence once installed.
8. PART: 2.3.5 Hazardous Dust
Order: As per section 2.3.5, the mine manager shall ensure that in a building where dust or other material could, by becoming airborne, be potentially hazardous if inhaled or ingested, it shall be removed by suitable means such as vacuuming, wet sweeping or be suppressed. Within 15 days, the mine manager shall ensure that dust in the crusher control room is regularly cleaned by a suitable means. Please provide evidence of the procedure created to ensure compliance with this order.
9. PART: 1.8.7, 1.9.1, 2.1.1 and 2.6.1 Noise Exposure
Noise exposure monitoring was conducted for one employee operating a CAT 637G Scraper. The worker’s task was to operate the scraper, driving up and down the pit collecting aggregate material. The worker reported to operate the equipment with all windows and doors sealed shut. As per Table 1, the noise exposure measurement indicated that the maximum permissible noise exposure for unprotected ears was exceeded for the monitored worker.
Table 1 – Noise exposure monitoring results
Occupation Sample Time Sample Leq (dBA) 10-hour Exposure Limit (dBA)
Heavy equipment operator 6h 51m 85.8 84
Order: As per section 1.8.7, 1.9.1, and 2.1.1, the mine manager shall ensure average daily noise exposures do not exceed 84 dBA for a 10 hour shift by implementing and maintaining controls at the source. Where controls at the source are not practicable, persons shall wear hearing protectors which are selected maintained and used in accordance with CSA Standard Z94.2-94. Within 15 days, please indicate the steps taken to ensure that heavy equipment operators are not exposed to noise in excess of the limits in section 2.1.1 of the Code.
Whole Body Vibration (WBV)
Inspector Sinstadt collected two WBV measurements during the inspection. The information below has been
provided by Aaron Unger, Ergonomics Inspector, following his analysis of the vibration samples.
Whole Body Vibration - During the inspection two Whole Body Vibration (WBV) measurements on two
different pieces of heavy equipment were taken on site. Exposure to WBV is reliant on multiple variables.
Vibration exposure can change based on variables such as load on the equipment, road conditions, tire
conditions, make and model of equipment, general condition of the equipment, how aggressive the driver
operates, weather conditions, and many others. Both samples taken at Orca Sand and Gravel demonstrated
exposure to WBV with potential risk to operators. Conditions are frequently changing at Orca Sand and
Gravel and workers should be made aware of this hazard.
Exposure Action Value (EAV) criterion of 0.5 m/s
2and an Exposure Limit Value (ELV) criterion of 1.15
m/s
2. Detailed below are relevant definitions regarding WBV, as well as summaries of the vibration results.
Definitions:
Whole Body Vibration (WBV) – This is vibration that is transmitted to the whole body, most often while
standing or sitting on a vibrating surface or object such as a seat or a platform.
Exposure Action Value (EAV) - The 8 hour exposure level at which mines should introduce some control
measures to minimize vibration. Exposure risks are low at this level but steps can be taken to minimize
exposure as potential for injury exists.
Exposure Limit Value (ELV) - The 8 hour exposure level at which mines should ensure that exposure does not
exceed.
Root Means Squared Vibration Magnitude (aRMS) - This number represents the average acceleration
(expressed in m/s
2) over a measurement period and is the value used to express risk associated with vibration
exposure.
Testing Results
Cat 980H Front End Loader - This vibration sample was taken on the driver’s seat of the front end loader
operating on the mine site. This loader was operated normally during the 56 minute and 40 second sample
time. Under the exact conditions of this test (road conditions, route travelled, vehicle, operator, weather
conditions, etc.) the operator would exceed the WBV ELV exposure. The aRMS vibration level was
measured to be 1.3489 m/s
2. Review of the vibration report shows high vibration levels in the y plane (0.7004
m/s
2). The y plane demonstrates side to side movement of the seat pan. This movement could be the result of
many factors and further exploration is recommended. Outlier data has been removed from the sample. At the
start of the analysis the operator was not in their seat for approximately 2 minutes, as well, at the end of the
sample there is a significant shock in the z plane (vertical movement of the seat) which has also been
removed from the data set. The raw information for this has been provided to Tyson Mackay prior to the
issuance of this report for comparison.
x y z Sum Units
a
RMS 0.5654 0.7004 0.4812 1.3489 m/s²in addition a significant movement in the z plane was detected at 1:26 pm which has been removed. The raw
information for this has been provided to Tyson Mackay prior to the issuance of this report for comparison.
x y z Sum Units
