Dig deep on Donkin Mine safety
It is easy to think that workplace safety, particularly mine safety, is predominantly the purview of regulatory authorities, which, in Donkin Mine’s case, is the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration.
But the reality is that regulations stipulated by the department are the second line of defence against workplace accidents. The first and most powerful line of defence comes from the employees themselves.
Media stories on safety and regulation have dominated the narrative about the Donkin Mine. But a deeper exploration into the people and the data reveals that Donkin was, and would be again, an exceptionally safe operation.
SAFETY IS THE CULTURE
Workplace safety is fundamentally about employees’ commitment to self-preservation. From supervisors to miners, safety at Donkin is prioritized in every decision and action they undertake.
Every shift at the mine starts with a safety meeting, or toolbox talk, which provides for open dialogue and information sharing about any potential safety issues.
During normal operations, the mine’s joint occupational health and safety committee met monthly, or more often as required, and consisted of 11 active members, well above the legislative requirement. A group of 17 miners trained and practised monthly as part of Donkin’s dedicated mine rescue team.
Brett Pimentel, one of the 130 people laid off when the Donkin Mine was idled last November, recently said: “Safety was the number 1 thing. Everybody in there cared for one another. They cared about each other’s safety.”
Miners actively participated in safety committees, hazard identification programs and safety training sessions. All are empowered to speak up about safety concerns and take ownership of their own safety and that of their colleagues.
Kyle Turnbull, a former Donkin miner, was recently asked if he had safety concerns about working at the mine: “No, never. Everybody looked after each other. There is strong camaraderie, and you’re pretty close to everyone.”
As proof of the Donkin Mine’s high safety standard, it made a rapid, proactive and independent decision following the July 15 roof fall to implement a comprehensive remediation program from July 19-27 that included extensive roof bolting over the full length of the 3.5 kilometre access tunnel to safeguard against future falls.
DATA SUPPORTS MINERS ON SAFETY
Due to the increased complexity of underground coal mining, numerous additional rules and regulations are in place.
As such, Fred Jeffers, executive director of the Labour Department’s safety division, reported to the CBC in 2023 that Donkin “is the most inspected workplace in Nova Scotia, there’s no question about it.”
The mine, with 130 employees, received on average one inspection every two weeks between September 2022, when the mine reopened, and July 2023, when the mine was placed under a “stop work” order that lasted over five months. The Irving Shipyard, with 2,400 employees, received one inspection in 2022.
Mining isn’t just safer than it used to be; it’s now also far safer than many other industries, according to data from the Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia.
With an injury rate of 1.2 per 100 workers in 2022, the mining and quarry industry is in line with the real estate and forestry sectors and well below agriculture, transportation, educational services, construction, manufacturing and communication/utilities.
When it comes to roof falls, nearly 40 per cent of the underground coal mines in the United States experience an injury from a roof fall. At the Donkin Mine, the rate was three per cent, arising from a single, minor ankle injury from a small rock that rolled off the sidewall in 2019.
James Matheson, a former Donkin miner, recently said Donkin “was never unsafe . . . . Roof falls are inevitable. If they happen, the coal mining can manage the risks . . . . I have four children. I would never put myself in a situation where I could get myself hurt.”
BACK TO WORK
Today, the Donkin Mine remains idled and the operation’s 130 employees have been let go.
The interested public should not give too much credibility to articles or conversations focused on unsafe work conditions at the mine. From hazard recognition and regular training and certification to emergency response drills, these initiatives formed the bedrock of Donkin’s safety culture.
Entry-level positions at Donkin paid about $80,000 per year, with the foreman and managers earning between $100,000 and $200,000. For the miners, good pay may have lured them underground, but it’s the safety culture of the operation, the daily challenges and uniqueness of the profession that were the source of their pride.