Last Monday’s Mahdia mining accident in which 19-year-old labourer Trenton Sebastian lost his life may well have been avoided had known procedures associated with standard safety practices been followed, according to a Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) source associated with the post-accident investigation.
Sebastian and four other employees of the mining operation were reportedly undercutting a 25-foot mine face whilst simultaneously using water jets to fell trees in the direction of the advance. The accident took place at around 15:30 hrs and Sebastian was subsequently transported to the Mahdia Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The key safety transgression, according to the GGMC source, had to do with the fact that no de-bushing lead appeared to have been created in the direction of the advance of the undercutting operation. Sebastian reportedly lost his life after the water jet being used in the operation dislodged a clump of unobserved loose material causing a tree to fall in his direction, pinning him beneath its roots.
This newspaper understands that standard operating procedure associated with safety in this particular process dictates that a de-bushing lead be created in the direction of advance for the mine and it did not appear that this procedure had been followed.
Sebastian reportedly died at the site of the accident from injuries associated with trauma to the head and injuries to the spinal area.
Sebastian’s death heaps further pressure on both the GGMC and owners of gold-mining operations, to invest more resources in raising the safety bar in the sector though the GGMC says that the spate of accidents at gold mining locations over the past year has already moved the issue of safety to the front burner of its oversight operations. Commission officials say that greater focus is now being placed on seeking to ensure that managers and workers at mine sites are better equipped to take precautions against risks that might result in accidents. GGMC officials have, however, conceded that awareness of safety procedures amongst mining site managers is often compromised by their preparedness to apply operating shortcuts that set safety aside and that this practice frequently leads to accidents.
The dead man whom this newspaper understands was a resident of the Mahdia was reportedly not a contributor to the National Insurance Scheme and it is not clear whether a compensation arrangement arising out of a bilateral arrangement between the operation’s dredge owner and Sebastian’s family might kick in.
