British Columbia’s Environmental Appeal Board (EAB) upheld a C$140,000 ($97,500) fine against Teck Coal last week for the “severe and life-altering” injuries sustained by a contract mechanic at its Elkford operations in 2019.
The mechanic was working to install a wheel on a truck in a workshop at a Teck Coal mine site, which had contracted MAXAM Explosives Inc. to provide explosives-related services, equipment, and supplies for blasting at its Greenhills mine, according to the EAB ruling.
In 2022, Teck appealed the administrative penalty, prompting an investigation by British Columbia’s chief inspector of mines.
The inspector concluded that Teck Coal failed to ensure the mechanic was properly trained in the safe removal and installation of wheels, a necessary procedure for servicing trucks used in mixing and delivering explosives. This was in violation of the Health, Safety, and Reclamation Code for Mines in BC.
Teck Resources, Canada’s largest diversified miner, sold its British Columbia-based steelmaking coal unit to Swiss commodities giant Glencore last year in one of the largest deals in the industry. The transaction, which closed last summer, saw Glencore acquire Teck’s 77% stake in the coal business for nearly $7 billion.
