CoI to probe death of BOSAI employee

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, is expected to soon appoint a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to investigate the death of Neptrid Hercules, an employee of BOSAI, who died after the plot of land he was working on caved in and swallowed him and a bulldozer on March 11.

“This action is in keeping with Section 72 (1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Chapter 99:06 Laws of Guyana.

“The Act gives the Minister the power to direct formal investigation into any accident arising out of and in the course of employment of any worker where he considers it expedient to so do,” a press release from the Labour Ministry noted on Friday.

“Competent persons,” including an experienced mining engineer and a geologist will be appointed to serve on the CoI, the ministry said.

The CoI will “determine the cause (s) of the accident and make recommendations for the prevention of accidents generally and more, in particular, the recurrence of similar accidents.”

According to the ministry, the accident occurred as a “result of a failure experienced by the Overburden Dump where he was working in the East Montgomery Mine, which caused them to be covered by the overburden material.”

Hercules’ body was found days later – March 14- after an “extensive and painful search,” the Labour Ministry stated.

“The minister is deeply concerned about this matter. He holds the view that this accident should never have occurred and he owes it to the family, co-workers and the community to ensure that there are no recurrences. Hence the appointment of the Commission of Inquiry, to provide answers to the numerous questions that abound and recommendations for implementation,” the press release noted.

Meanwhile, the Occupational Safety and Health Department has instructed the company that the suspension of work activities in the middle dump of the Montgomery mine where the accident occurred should continue until a reassessment is done for the extraction of the bulldozer.