Work Adventures

When I went to law school, I did not expect I would ever need a hard hat, steel-toed boots, and coveralls for my job, but check me out!

I am legal counsel for a mining construction company and although going underground is not part of my job description, I wanted to go down so I could better understand what our company does.  This week I worked in our Timmins office and yesterday I went out to one of the gold mines where we are contracted to work. 

Got my lamp and ready to go.

There are two ways to go underground - by shaft elevator or by truck down the ramp.  Since there was a long wait for the elevator, we took the truck.  It was a long bumpy ride down to the place we were going but so interesting.  Honestly I nervous about this as I do not like enclosed spaces or being somewhere that I cannot easily get out of, but I was feeling comfortable.  There are so many safety precautions I'm probably more safe in the mine than walking down the street in Toronto. 

This is the Alimak Raise Climber.  It's hard to make out, but I am lying down in the climber.  What would happen is that it travels up tracks until it's upright, and then workers climb up on top to do their work in the raise.  

The track that goes across the middle of the photo is the track. The lit part on the right is where the raise climber (above) is located, it would go to the left and then head straight up, just past the left side of this photo.  It is dirty and breezy down there.  Breezy because the air exchange is blowing fresh air in and pushing the old air out.  

E asked me if I would get a pick ax, so I had to take this photo.  Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work I go.

This is our truck, only meant for underground travel.

It will definitely help my work now that I have seen the mine - the entire complex itself, and underground - and heard about the various jobs that are done there.  I also think it helps to meet some of the guys so they are comfortable contacting me if they have any issues I can help them with.  There are a couple of other mines near Timmins so next time I'm up, I could see another place to compare it to this one.  

But back to my office tower for now.