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10 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday July 6, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Sewer deaths investigation runs into jurisdiction issue By John Burman SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Provincial regulations more stringent than federal rules Binbrook and a 33-year-old Brampton man were working on, are not as stringent as those of the province. Belinda Sutton, a spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Labour, said her ministry is determining jurisdiction. She added the provincial ministry had ordered Websell Communications, the men's employer, to stop work on the site, located near Third Line and North Service Road. Wagish Yajaman, an occupational hygiene and confined spaces specialist with the Industrial Accident Prevention Association (IAPA), said the provincial regulations were introduced last year and are more stringent than federal rules. He confirmed federal rules do not necessarily require someone to stand outside the entrance to a confined space or harnesses and lines on workers or ongoing monitoring. The IAPA believes "an employer who has mixed jurisdiction should take a look at both (sets of rules) and see which is the more stringent, the most all encompassing and use that as a standard," Yajaman said. "Go with the one that is going to give the employees the biggest level of protection and address it in that way." Yajaman said the provincial legislation is the most recent, following coroner's jury recommendations issued in 1999 on the deaths of Robert LaPolice, 26, and John Hewson, 31, who suffocated at the bottom of a three-storey vacuum degasser tank at Dofasco in January 1997. Scott Miles, underground operations boss for Horizon Utilities corporation in Hamilton, says electrical workers fall under provincial jurisdiction and as such must have someone standing at the entrance. The workers must be on a line attached to a tripod winch so they can be pulled to safety if necessary. Investigators are still trying to determine who has jurisdiction in the deaths of two men in an underground chamber in town last month. The question is crucial to the probe because federal rules and provincial regulations covering what is proper procedure for those working in confined spaces are different. Some say the federal rules, which apply to telecommunications projects like the one Greg Gauthier, 52, of Grand Prize 1 of 5 42" Plasma TVs · · · · iPod Nanos Gas Cards Free Car Washes GPS Systems... and more! 260 Speers Road, Oakville 905-849-5554 · www.prooil.ca AND OUR CO THANKS FO NTIN U O US R YO UR L OYALT Y No purchase necessary. See www.prooil.ca for details and a location near you. iPod is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. Apple is not a sponsor of, nor partner in, this promotion. A LITTLE SCRATCH THAT'S GOOD FOR YOUR CAR CHECK YOUR MAIL OR COME IN FOR YOUR CHANCE TO ONE OF HUNDREDS OF GREAT PRIZES! Too often, he said, would-be rescuers are killed because they fall prey to whatever caused their colleagues to collapse in a tunnel. Officials estimate 50 per cent of confined space fatalities involve lack of oxygen. And 65 per cent of those deaths, according to American statistics, are among rescuers rushing in to a hazardous situation. Because there are many forms of confined spaces, such as underground tunnels, vaults, pits, farm silos, rail tank cars and all manner of enclosures, the dangers facing workers who enter those spaces are many. Atmospheric hazards, such as lack of oxygen, fumes, carbon monoxide or noxious and toxic gases are the most often encountered. Yajaman said the only way to figure out if the air in a confined space is okay is to test it every time anyone enters the space and continue to take readings. -- Torstar News Service BRING YOU... New LOWER PRICES EVERYDAY on many Eukanuba products! $49.99 $47 .99 wow! $ $47.99 wow! $50.99 $50.99 UENT BUYER PROGRAM STILL APPLIES. $50.99 4002 TRAFALGAR RD. Family Owned and Operated for Over 33 Years Corner of Trafalgar & Burnhamthorpe Store Hours: Mon. to Fri. 8am-8pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm 905-257-4611