Silicosis class action bid filed against Anglo American

Lawyers representing gold miners suffering from the deadly lung disease silicosis said on Thursday they had filed a class action lawsuit application against the South African arm of global mining giant Anglo American. More on Reuters. Also read previous post. Anglo American is a Global Compact participant since 2004/07/27. Anglo American plc was a 2010 Gold Contributor of the Foundation for the Global Compact.

Sodexho fined $81K for violations at W.Va. college

Federal officials said Thursday they intend to fine Sodexho Inc. $81,000 for health and safety violations that occurred when workers were removing asbestos earlier this year at Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi. More on Businessweek. Sodexo Inc, is a U.S. subsidiary of French giant Sodexo S.A.(SDXAY:OTC US),(SW:EN Paris), a Global Compact participant since 2003/03/06. Sodexo was a Gold Contributor to the Foundation for the Global Compact in 2010.

Agrium to pay $420K fine in worker's death

The potash company Agrium will pay a $420,000 fine in relation to the death of one of its workers. The company has pleaded guilty to failing to maintain a safe working environment for its employees. More on CBC News. Agrium Inc. (NYSE:AGU)(TSX:AGU) is a Global Compact participant since 2008/04/28.

US Labor Department's OSHA cites Johnson Controls Battery Group for exposing workers to lead, other hazards at Holland, Ohio, plant

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Johnson Controls Battery Group Inc. for 11 alleged health violations - including one willful and two repeat - following an Oct. 25 inspection that was initiated based on a complaint. Inspectors found workers overexposed to lead at the company's Holland plant due to a lack of engineering controls and poor housekeeping practices. Proposed fines total $188,600. More on U.S. OHSA. Johnson Controls Battery Group Inc. is a unit of Johnson Controls(JCI:NYSE) a Global Compact participant since 2004/03/31.

South Africa gold miners face class suit

A South African lawyer has signed up more than 6 000 plaintiffs from South Africa and Lesotho in preparation for a class action lawsuit against gold miners whose negligence allegedly resulted in workers contracting silicosis, a debilitating lung disease. The principal targets of the suit will be AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields and Harmony Gold, the country three biggest gold miners and producer DRDGold.

More on the Southern Time.

Gold Fields Limited is a Global Compact participant since 2006. Anglogold Ashanti is a Global Compact participant since 2004. Both Anglogold Ashanti and Gold Fields Limited were Gold Contributors to the Foundation for the Global Compact in 2010 and 2011.

27 injured in roof collapse at IFFCO plant

At least 27 workers were injured, 11 of them seriously, when the roof of a silo caved in at an Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative Limited (IFFCO) plant in Paradip on Feburary 20th 2012. Locals and workers union leaders blamed the plant management for the incident.

More on IBN Live.

IFFCO is a Global Compact participant since 2001/11/16

Monsanto guilty of chemical poisoning in France

A French court on Monday, February 13th, 2012, declared U.S. biotech giant Monsanto guilty of chemical poisoning of a French farmer...

More on Reuters.
More on Business and Human Rights.

Monsanto is a Global Compact participant since 2009/09/17. Monsanto was also a Gold contributor of the Foundation for the Global Compact in 2011 and 2010.

Tata prosecuted for endangering workers during gas leak repair

Two workers narrowly avoided being killed or seriously injured when flames up to three metres in length shot from a leaking gas pipe during poorly planned and executed repair work. Tata Steel UK Limited, registered to Millbank, London, pleaded guilty to two separate breaches of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations. The company was fined a total of GBP 30,000 and ordered to pay GBP 1,696 in costs.

More on Health and Safety Executive

Tata Steel is a Global Compact participant since 2001/03/09.
Tata Steel was a USD 10,000 contributor at the Foundation for the Global Compact both in 2009 and 2010.

Sick miners want Anglo American to pay up

"Mponco and hundreds of other former mineworkers who now want mining giant Anglo American to pay up for exposing them to dangerous dust levels.

The London-listed firm's South African subsidiary is being sued on two continents in cases that could run into millions of rands in damages."

More on Mail&Guardian online

Anglo American is a Global Compact participant since 2004/07/27
Anglo American plc was a 2010 Gold Contributor of the Foundation for the Global Compact

Impala-Platinum-Holdings Records Two Fatalities

Three workers died in separate platinum mine accidents in South Africa over the last couple of days, with both Impala Platinum (Implats) and Anooraq on Monday reporting fatalities.

More on Mining Weekly

Impala Platinum Holdings Limited is a Global Compact participant since 2008/04/08.

Barrick's Nevada Gold Mine Blamed for Deaths of Two Workers

In an investigative report posted Monday, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration faulted managers of Toronto-based Barrick Gold for, among other things, allowing a safety alarm system at the Meikle Mine in Carlin, Nev. to be bypassed. (...) MSHA cited Barrick for six safety violations as a result of the accident, but it terminated the last of its safety orders on June 21 after the company built a new delivery system that, the agency said, eliminated the hazards.

Read more on fairwarning.org

Barrick Gold Corporation is a Global Compact participant since 2005/06/02

AngloGold, Gold Fields Face Court Battles Against Miners With Lung Disease

 Aug 19, 2011
AngloGold Ashanti Ltd.  and Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI) are among South African producers threatened with costly court battles as rights groups enlist thousands of former miners with work-related lung disease for a class-action suit. More on Bloomberg.

Shell’s poor safety record in the UK

from Sunday Herald, 21 August 2011
Shell has been officially censured for breaking safety rules 25 times in the last six years and has one of the worst safety records of the major oil companies in the UK, an investigation by the Sunday Herald has revealed. Read more.

New Zealand Leader Wants Brazil's Petrobras Out After Deadly Explosion

Manu Caddie, a Gisborne District Councilor in New Zealand, has renewed his call for the government to suspend the East Coast exploration permit for Brazilian state-controlled oil and gas multinational Petrobras following a lethal explosion at a Petrobras refinery in Argentina, which left an employee dead and another gravely wounded.
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