OPEN PIT TROPHY ACCEPTED ON BEHALF
OF EMPLOYEES OF CASSIAR ASBESTOS

The Open Pit Trophy 'B' Award for
Lowest Accident Rate was first initiated
in 1961 by J. W. Peck, Chief Inspector of
Mines. Cassiar competed during that year
without actually being aware of this. In
1962 Cassiar won the award.

Originally the competition included all
under the jurisdiction of the Metalliferous
Mines Regulation Act who completed 15,000
man hours. This has now been revised to
competition with those completing a mini-
mum of 200,000 man hours. On this 15,000
basis, Cassiar would have been perennial
winners. 1965 man hours were 1,070,022,
frequency 2.80 (3 compensible accidents
19 days.)

Although presented earlier this year in
Vancouver, Mr. Kenneth B. Blakey, Chief
Gold Commissioner and Deputy Minister
Designate for the Dept. of Mines, now
presented the trophy officially to the
employees of Cassiar.

In making the presentation, Mr. Blakey
pointed out that he had visited Cassiar
some 16 years ago when the mine area was
just a series of staked claims, and the

progress. dince then ‘was most gratifying, . .
He went on to explain that his title could
be somewhat misleading. It had started
back in the 1850's when the Gold Commis-—
sioner had charge of all the placer mining
in B.C., and he was a very powerful man,
being judge and jury over all the placer
miners in the whole area. The title has
been kept for historical reasons but his
duties are those of Chief Mining Recorder.

This trophy, he said, represented
achievement not only on the part of the
men but also the wives and women who were
part of the work force and community, an
achievement, indeed, when you cinsider the
work is done in an open pit area in far
more difficult conditions than anywhere
else in B.C.

Mr. Beguin accepted the trophy, "for the
wives, the workers, the supervisors,
directors and head office management, each
and every employee, for this award repre-
sents a combination of efforts - on behalf
of all - thanks."