Uranium mining company Cameco is confirming a worker was injured in an accident at its Rabbit Lake facility earlier this month.
Cameco spokesperson Gord Struthers says the accident occurred on Aug. 13 when the worker was performing a task called “bolting and screening” at an underground mine.
He says some loose rock fell on the employee during the task resulting in a minor head injury and fractured wrist.
Struthers says the worker has since been cleared to return to work with modified duties.
He says Cameco takes workplace safety very seriously and has launched its own internal investigation into the matter.
“This latest incident’s unfortunate, safety is a priority and we’re constantly striving to improve our performance in that area,” he says.
Struthers says the workplace accident has also been reported to both Occupational Health and Safety and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
The incident comes on the heels of Cameco’s 2014 sustainable development report, which gives the company top grades in terms of diversity hiring, workplace safety and environmental standards.
Struthers says Cameco has done a good job in terms of Indigenous hiring but there is always room for improvement.
“We’re already at about half and that’s quite an achievement and is recognized by the industry and organizations like the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. However, I think people in the north would say that’s not good enough and it’s something that is a challenge to improve but it’s something that we’re working on and we fully intend to get those numbers up.”
According to the 2014 report, Cameco’s goal is move beyond the target of 50 per cent Aboriginal people employed in its workforce.