Two mining companies have been fined a total of $210,000 in connection with a 2024 incident that led to a worker fatality.

Angus Gold Inc., which is based in Toronto, and G4 Drilling Ltd./Forage L4 Ltee., based out of Val-d’Or, Quebec, both pled guilty to a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in provincial court.

Angus Gold was fined $110,000 for its role in the incident, while G4 Drilling was fined $100,000. The companies will also pay a 25-percent victim fine surcharge.

In 2024, Angus Gold contracted G4 Drilling to assist in mining exploration activities.

On August 23 of that year, a helicopter contractor was conducting operations to move drilling equipment about 25 nautical miles west of Wawa, Ontario. G4 was assisting in the move.

By late afternoon, only a metal cage was left to move. A G4 Drilling foreperson and assistant foreperson were stationed at the old site attaching equipment to a longline. A longline is high-strength rope or cable used to suspend cargo beneath a helicopter. A G4 driller and a helper from that company were at the new site preparing to receive the cage.

When the helicopter reached the new site there were difficulties in positioning the cage. After several unsuccessful attempts, the pilot decided to bring the G4 assistant foreperson to the new site to help.

Still unsuccessful in positioning the cage at the new site, the pilot called over the radio to the G4 driller that they had to leave to refuel the helicopter. The G4 driller was the only one who had a portable handheld radio. This radio message went unheard by the driller. The pilot lifted off without confirmation from anyone on the ground that it was safe to do so.

The pilot began to climb, lifting the cage still attached to the helicopter. The G4 assistant foreperson became entangled in two taglines. Taglines are fiber ropes attached to suspended loads to control rotation and pendulum motion.

Workers who saw the foreperson caught in the rigging tried to contact the pilot via radio, but the pilot could not understand what was being said.

The foreperson was eventually freed from the taglines, fell from the helicopter and was fatally injured.

An investigation by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development determined that Angus Gold did not conduct a risk assessment for the summer drilling operations involving helicopter use.

The investigation also determined that G4 Drilling failed to provide effective radio communication equipment to workers. The company therefore failed to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker.

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