News release

Bennington Group Must Ensure Safe Worksite

Natural Resources (to July 2018)
Labour and Advanced Education (Jan. 2011 - Aug. 2021)

Work to dismantle the MV Miner will not begin until steps are taken to ensure workers will be safe on the job.

The Department of Labour and Advanced Education issued a stop work order to Bennington Group today, Oct. 12. The order requires Bennington Group to hire an independent engineer to complete an assessment on the structural integrity of the vessel before work can begin to dismantle the ship.

Work is suspended on Scatarie Island until the company meets these occupational health and safety requirements.

"We take worker safety extremely seriously," said Labour and Advanced Education Minister Marilyn More. "Employers have a responsibility to take sufficient safeguards to keep workers from harm. We will allow the dismantling to begin only when we're absolutely certain the site is safe.

"We have been working with the company since the beginning to make sure they are aware of our occupational health and safety requirements and the need to comply."

Because of the stop work order, the departments of Environment and Natural Resources have advised Bennington Group that they will suspend its authority to remove MV Miner from Scatarie Island if stop work order requirements are not met. There are strict conditions for the provincial designated protected area and wildlife management area, and to ensure workers are safe.

The MV Miner was being towed when it broke free of its tug and ran aground on Scatarie Island on Sept. 20, 2011.