Report of the royal commission on health and safety of workers in mines

Otherwise known as the Ham Report, this is a seminal work that lead the way to the creation of the internal responsibility system (IRS) upon which all modern Canadian occupational health and safety legislation is based. This report also recommended the implementation the three rights of safety for workers: the Right To Refuse dangerous work, the Right To Know about the hazards in the workplace and the Right to Participate in the safety process.

Another royal commission report of the Westray Mine Public Inquiry is an interesting counterpoint that details how 26 mine workers perished when the IRS failed.

Ham Report

(This is a very large document offered in Adobe PDF format. This version does not include the last 71 pages--appendices B through E)

Part 1
Preface and The issues in health and safety in the mining industry (1.1MB)

Part 2
Silicosis and dust (3 MB)

Part 3
Lung cancer and the ionizing radiation in uranium mines (3 MB)

Part 4
Accidents and injuries (3.4 MB)

Part 5
Other environmental hazards in the workplace (3.8 MB)

Part 6
Policies for occupational health and safety in the mining industry (.8 MB)

Part 7
Recommendations (.8 MB)

October 11, 2004