Workplace Safety North (WSN) has launched a new quarterly Mining Compliance Pulse Check, providing Ontario mining operations with timely insight into key workplace health and safety risks. The latest report, covering July 1 to September 30, 2025, found that conveyor guarding issues accounted for nearly half of all compliance findings across the sector.
The pulse check provides a snapshot of health and safety trends and identifies common compliance gaps, along with practical guidance to help workplaces meet requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and Regulation 854: Mines and Mining Plants.
Top hazards in the mining industry
According to the report, conveyor guarding remains the most frequently identified hazard (47%), followed by slip, trip, and fall risks involving walkways, stairways, and ladderways. Common issues include conveyor guards that do not meet required length standards, missing guards near return rollers, obstructed or poorly maintained walking surfaces, improper housekeeping, and unsafe or makeshift access to work areas or equipment.
The report underscores the importance of maintaining safe conditions, training workers, and documenting inspections, repairs, and procedures to help prevent injuries. Also available is the compliance pulse check for Spring 2025.
Checklists and practical guidance
The resource also includes inspection checklists, examples of best practices, and related tools to support employers and joint health and safety committees in assessing compliance, identifying hazards, and implementing corrective actions. The document can be downloaded and filled in electronically, or it can be printed and filled out during a focused inspection in looking at these hazards.
[More]
