Inquest being held after Paul Rochette’s death in 2014 at the Copper Cliff Smelter Complex

Jan 4, 2018 @ 14:34

Dr. David Cameron, Regional Supervising Coroner for North Region, Sudbury Office, today announced that an inquest will be held into the death of Paul Marcel Rochette (aka Perreault) who died on April 6, 2014, while working at the Copper Cliff Smelter Complex. An inquest is mandatory under the Coroners Act.

The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Rochette’s death. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths. The inquest is expected to last five days and to hear from approximately 13 witnesses.

The inquest will begin at 9 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, at the Sudbury City Courthouse, Courtroom L, 155 Elm St.  Dr. Ray Sawkiw will preside as inquest coroner and Julie Lefebvre will be counsel to the coroner.

The Sudbury Star reported that Rochette died when he was struck in the head by a moil or large pin from an ore crushing machine that flew up. Another millwright, a 28-year-old man who has not been identified, suffered head and facial injuries in the same accident.

A joint investigation by Vale and the union representing the two millwrights, United Steelworkers Local 6500, resulted in fifty-eight recommendations. The Ontario Ministry of Labour laid 17 charges (against Vale and three supervisors) after a one-year investigation.