Mats, sand weren’t in place for major blast

The blaster responsible for the rock shower which rained down on the Lobird Trailer Park in May 2008 has been fined for failing to follow proper safety procedures in the incident.

The blaster responsible for the rock shower which rained down on the Lobird Trailer Park in May 2008 has been fined for failing to follow proper safety procedures in the incident.

Peter Hildebrand was one of two blasters working on the Hamilton Boulevard extension project.

He was responsible for designing blasting drill patterns, selecting the type and amount of explosive materials to be used in a blast and overseeing the blast itself, according to an agreed statement of facts submitted to Yukon territorial court this week.

Both blasters had been instructed to take certain safety precautions following an incident in November 2007, when a rock blast resulted in debris falling on the trailer court 350 metres away.

There is no government policy for urban blasting, but the contractor, PS Sidhu trucking, agreed to certain new safety procedures.

After the first rock shower, the blasters were expected to lay blasting mats, sand or fine gravel over the blast holes to prevent rocks from being thrown straight up in the air, as had happened in the November 2007 incident.

But on May 6, 2008, Hildebrand failed to do so, he admitted Tuesday.

According to the statement of fact, the May 6 blast was one of the largest done during the entire project, consisting of 423 blast holes.

Hildebrand conceded that “by conducting a large blast with a number of shallow holes without the area being covered either with blasting mats or sand jeopardized safety” in the vicinity.

Hildebrand originally pleaded not guilty to the summary charge, but changed his plea to guilty on Tuesday.

He was fined $1,000 by Justice of the Peace Dean Cameron following a sentencing hearing that day.

Hildebrand was not the only person held responsible, however.

The Yukon government, PS Sidhu Trucking and employee William Cratty face charges in relation to the incident as well.

All three parties have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to go to trial March 29.