Yukon mine contractor charged in worker's death

A contracting company at Yukon Zinc Corp.'s Wolverine mine faces eight workplace safety charges in the death of a Newfoundland-based apprentice mechanic last year.

Procon Mining and Tunnelling Ltd. has been charged with eight counts of breaching Yukon occupational health and safety regulations in connection with the death of Paul Wentzell, 20, at the Yukon zinc-silver mine on Oct. 19, 2009.

Wentzell, who was from Daniel's Harbour on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula, was working for Procon as an apprentice mechanic when he was struck and killed by an unoccupied vehicle at the mine site.

The Toyota Land Cruiser was parked on an incline, but its emergency brake failed and the vehicle rolled back.

The charges against Procon were laidafter a detailed investigation, said Kurt Dieckmann, director of occupational health and safety for the Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board.

"Basically, the charges are related to worker training, worker supervision and equipment maintenance," Dieckmann told CBC News on Tuesday.

"What it is is failure to comply with some of the regulations that's pertaining to occupational health and safety and that are required under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the failure to meet those regulatory requirements."

Vehicle was unsafe, safety board alleges

Procon failed to provide adequate training and supervision, according to the Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board.

The board alleges the Land Cruiser was not inspected or maintained, and the company should have known the vehicle was unsafe.

"It's now up to the courts to decide," Dieckmann said. "We lay the charges and then the courts decide, and so we will wait and see what the results are."

The case will be in court Nov. 16 in Whitehorse.

If Procon is found guilty of the charges, it could face $150,000 to $300,000 in fines.

News of the charges came as surprise to Wentzell's family in Daniel's Harbour. Whenreached by CBC News on Tuesday, family members said they did not wish to comment.

About six months after Wentzell's death, a second Procon Mining and Tunnelling employee, Will Fisher, was killed at the Wolverine minewhen part of an underground tunnel wall collapsed onto him. The case is still under investigation.