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Contractor death sparks safety calls

MLA for Kootenay East to advocate for better workplace practices after Fording River incident.
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The MLA for Kootenay East has called for better workplace health and safety practices after the death of a mining contractor last week. File photo.

The MLA for Kootenay East has called for better workplace health and safety practices after the death of a mining contractor last week.

Tom Shypitka has offered his condolences to the friends and family of Pat Dwyer, who was killed while working at Teck’s Fording River Operations on Monday, April 9.

The 70-year-old Lundbreck resident was operating a floating excavator when it flipped into a tailings pond about 8:40 a.m., trapping him underneath.

Dwyer was contracted to the Teck Resources-operated mine and had more than 50 years’ experience in equipment operation and excavation.

Divers were dispatched to the scene on Monday but his body wasn’t recovered until Wednesday afternoon.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of this contractor who lost his life,” said Shypitka.

“Safety in the workplace is paramount in my opinion.

“No family should wonder if their loved one will make it back home after a hard day’s work.”

Shypitka said industrialized safety had come a long way and mining, once the most dangerous occupation in the industrialized world, was now regarded as one of the safest thanks to union standards, and private sector support and innovations.

“As we go through the investigation of this terrible accident we will discover the factors that led to this event and from that we will make better practices for the future,” said Shyptika, who is the Opposition Critic for Energy and Mines.

“I will be bringing forward the concerns of this accident and the tragedy in Fernie, alongside others, to the Labour and Mines Minister, so that we can all assure that our loved ones will come home from work everyday.”

Teck has been working with authorities, including the RCMP and B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, throughout the recovery process.

The mining company issued a statement identifying Dwyer last Thursday.

“Pat had deep roots in his community and will be profoundly missed,” said Robin Sheremeta, Senior Vice President, Coal.

“Our focus going forward is on providing counselling and support to employees and conducting an investigation to understand how this incident occurred and prevent it from happening again.”

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.