Panel Report

Throughout history, mines of all descriptions have had a reputation for being relatively unsafe places to work. Literature is replete with tales of tragedy experienced by miners and their families. Even in modern times there have been accidents, such as coal mine explosions, that have resulted in the loss of many lives.

Although uranium mines are free of conditions that could lead to the explosions experienced in coal mines, there is still a need to protect workers from a variety of dangers such as the fall of loose rock dislodged from the roof of excavations. In addition to conventional mine safety concerns, uranium miners must also be protected from radiation. Since it cannot be detected by any of the human senses and because its impact does not become apparent until many years after exposure, radiation may be an insidious threat to the health of uranium miners.

During the past six years, we have made site visits to most of the underground uranium mines in Saskatchewan and to all of the open pit operations. In this chapter, we wish to review measures that are being taken at these sites to protect workers, and to make some general recommendations based on our observations.

3.1 Radiation Protection

We are pleased to report that in none of the proposals reviewed has the necessity of providing radiation protection for workers been compromised by goals of higher profitability or greater ease of mining. In fact, many of the mining companies have been innovative in designing mining procedures to ensure maximum worker radiation protection. For example, at the Cigar Lake, Midwest and McArthur River mines, which contain unusually high-grade ore, the proponents have proposed creative ways to remove ore by remote control. Use of automated mining procedures, which have been described elsewhere, [The Cigar Lake Project Environmental Impact Statement, Main Document, Cigar Lake Mining Corporation, July, 1995, pp. 3-30 to 3-77. The McArthur River Project Environmental Impact Statement, Main Volume, Cameco Corporation, October, 1995, pp. 2.3.1 to 2.3.24. The Midwest Project Environmental Impact Statement, Main Document, Cogema Resources Inc., August, 1995, pp. 2-17 to 2-47.] permit mine development to proceed without the need for miners to enter the cavity from which ore is being extracted. In addition, the mine operations are designed in such a way that the ore is contained in well-shielded conduits throughout the entire mining process, thereby greatly reducing worker exposure.

In the past two decades, improved technology has permitted accurate and continuous (as opposed to periodic) monitoring of worker radiation exposure. Research by some proponents has resulted in the development of effective tools for area radiation-source monitoring and personal dosimetry. In addition to the use of a variety of radiation monitoring instruments, mining companies have implemented extensive radiation safety training programs.

Another beneficial innovation has been the development of ventilation models which incorporate radiation source terms. This has enabled mine designers to evaluate the consequences of various mining strategies by modelling, rather than by the trial and error approach which could endanger the health of workers. Based on the models, proponents are able to select the mining techniques which offer the greatest protection to worker health.

When interviewed, workers expressed satisfaction concerning their training and the maintenance of radiation safety standards in mine workplaces. In addition, worker radiation exposure records indicate satisfactory compliance with the regulatory standards established at Saskatchewan uranium mines:

It is therefore of interest to note the excellent radiological control achieved by Cigar Lake Mining Corporation during the Cigar Lake test mine phase. The operation of any underground uranium mine with average worker radiation exposures at five per cent of the annual Saskatchewan dose limit would be a significant achievement. Accomplishing this while mining 20 per cent uranium ore demonstrates the level of radiological safety that is possible with the new mining technologies proposed. [J. Parr, Saskatchewan Labour, Transcript of the McArthur River and Cigar Lake Public Hearings , Regina, Saskatchewan, September 4, 1996, p. 86.]

Despite these achievements, regulatory reform does not appear to have kept pace with the improved understanding of radiation protection that has resulted from research and the use of new technology. The public expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of uniformity between federal and provincial standards and with the length of time required to adopt new standards. Current federal and provincial radiation protection legislation is based upon the 1977 recommendations of ICRP-26, issued by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Although provincial surface leases require proponents to adhere to the more stringent recommendations of ICRP-60, neither level of government has formally adopted the recommendations of ICRP-60 or the more recent ICRP-65. The updated standards of the ICRP should be adopted by regulatory agencies of both levels of government without further delay.

3.2 Conventional Safety Concerns

Although the long-term safety records at Saskatchewan uranium mines are better than those at operations of other types of mines, three deaths did occur at uranium mine sites in 1995. Presenters noted that the increase in accidents might be attributed to the recent expansion in the number of mining operations which are underground, as compared to the open pit operations which were previously the norm. In light of this, it is puzzling to note that Saskatchewan, a Canadian leader in the development of workplace health and safety legislation, has not completed a review of its Mines Regulations since 1978.

The uranium mining industry in Saskatchewan has undergone a greater evolution than most industries. Its rapid adoption of highly automated, innovative and state-of-the-art mining technologies requires a corresponding adjustment in health and safety regulations in order to maintain worker safety.

Even with appropriate legislation in place, mine workers depend on the efficient and knowledgeable enforcement of regulations to ensure safe work environments. The unique nature of mine workplaces, where workers may be exposed to hazardous conditions in severely confined spaces with limited lighting, necessitates the stringent application and monitoring of standards appropriate to the situation. The panel notes that the mining industry is subjected to intense scrutiny by regulators:

...no other industry in Saskatchewan receives as much attention as the mining industry, when it comes to health and safety. Occupational health committees at mine sites are among the most active in the province. The ratio of mines inspectors to mine workplaces is considerably higher than the corresponding ratio of occupational health officers to non-mine workplaces. [J. Parr, Saskatchewan Labour, Transcript of the McArthur River and Cigar Lake Public Hearings, Regina, Saskatchewan, September 4, 1996, p. 79.]

In view of such intense inspection by the Province, it would be appropriate to expect that a review of mining regulations should be subject to a corresponding level of scrutiny. The current provincial initiative, however, aims to effect mine regulatory change only following a general industry regulatory review. The stated objective infers the existence of a two-tiered system of worker occupational health and safety control. Whereas regular changes have been made to The Occupational Health and Safety Act in Saskatchewan during the past decade, the Mines Regulations have not been changed in two decades. There should be no further delay in reviewing and updating Saskatchewan's Mines Regulations to reflect current mining procedures and the safe use of modern technologies.

3.3 Safety Concerns Related to Transportation

During each of the reviews, members of the public commented on the potential for road accidents and the fear of impacts from spills of hazardous materials into water bodies or the surrounding countryside. In addition, the public indicated concern about the existing condition of the roads, and the implications of additional traffic.

While assessing each individual proposal, the panel accepted that the transportation-related impacts from a specific mining project were not significant, or were mitigable. However, the cumulative impacts of the several mines which are, or will be, operating in a relatively small geographic region of northern Saskatchewan, are of more concern. Where one mine might create 15 trips of ore, chemicals and other bulk supplies per day, and where the impacts caused by that number of trips might be acceptable, the additive effect of several mines operating concurrently is of greater concern.

Some of the safety hazards expected from the heavy vehicles associated with mining traffic include impaired visibility for other traffic on the road due to the dust generated; rapid deterioration of the road surface; and increased risk due to the nature of the loads being carried. The corresponding precautions necessary on the part of the proponents and government are the implementation of dust control measures; frequent monitoring and repair of the road surface; and comprehensive contingency plans for all potential hazards.

It is the responsibility of the provincial government to ensure that the roads available to these projects are adequate to service their combined needs without adverse impacts on other commercial and personal requirements of the area. A comprehensive study of the combined demands made on the northern road system should be completed and additional mining projects should not be approved without a corresponding commitment to provide adequate roads. In general, it would be advisable to bring all northern roads up to southern grid road standards. An improved transportation infrastructure would then become one of the lasting benefits of uranium mining developments in the Athabasca Basin.