Production Resumes At Seabee Mine
Monday, June 04, 2007 at 14:00
Mining has resumed at the Seabee gold mine north of La Ronge.
It’s been three days since the body of 29-year-old Cory Braaten was discovered at the site.
He died after being trapped while he was working by himself early last week.
Claude Resources President Neil McMillan says it’s been a tough haul for his employees, but work resumed the day after Braaten’s body was found.
McMillan still won’t say what exactly took place underground, only that Occupational Health and Safety is investigating.
However, he insists the mine is considered safe to work in and safety is still the mine’s top priority.
McMillan also says, at this point, workers are not expected to do anything differently underground.
McMillan says the stress level on everyone is still significant. A grief counsellor remains on site for miners and staff to talk to.
A spokesperson for Occupational Health and Safety says investigators are trying to piece together the sequence of events that led to the fatal accident at the Seabee mine.
However, Shannon Dumba says they can’t speculate about what led to Braaten’s death.
Dumba says a typical investigation involves interviews with co-workers, inspection of equipment, and reviews of policy and procedures.
She estimates it will take much of the summer before any concrete determinations are made.
Dumba adds investigators may also make recommendations on how to prevent similar mishaps in the future.
She notes charges can be laid against a company if it is found to have contravened the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Claude Resources pleaded guilty to failing to provide for the safety of a worker following another fatal mishap at the Seabee mine in 1995.