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Picking up the pieces

IT HAS been well documented that the recent floods in Central Queensland significantly impacted mine operations and production in the Bowen Basin. Less visible is the way companies are revising or reinforcing their existing systems, procedures and behaviours to deliver long-term benefits, particularly in safety and health.

Angie Tomlinson
Picking up the pieces

In the aftermath of the floods, Leighton Contractors’ Mining Division has implemented a safety training program for natural disaster situations in an effort to ensure employees understand their safety and health must come first.

With six trucks completely submerged by the floodwaters, the Middlemount team conducted a job safety analysis and then undertook a relocation exercise to move a solitary excavator away from the rising waters.

While the relocation operation was successful, and no injuries were sustained during this process, the Middlemount experience demonstrated that conditions in natural disasters can rapidly deteriorate.

“The flooding of our operations at Middlemount, in the Bowen Basin, and the way we reacted to this incident showed us that we had to re-emphasise to our workforce that people are our most important asset and putting yourself or others at risk is unacceptable,” Leighton Mining general manager Steve Keyser said.

“The added complexity in any risk situation is passion. It’s human nature to want to prevent loss and make a positive difference.

“We wanted to reassure our people that their safety and wellbeing is far more important to us than plant or productivity.”

To build this awareness, Leighton introduced the natural disaster safety training program.

Incorporating a variety of tool box sessions, presentations, training packs and the opportunity to question senior managers, the key objective of the program is to educate, train and empower the workforce to make the best possible safety decisions in all situations.

The training has now been rolled out to the majority of Leighton Mining’s 1500-strong open cut and underground workforce, stretching from regional Queensland to New South Wales and New Zealand. Office staff based in Brisbane and Mackay have also participated in the training program.

Keyser said he was pleased with the way the workforce had embraced the education and training process.

“Fostering a culture where everyone takes responsibility for safety and health through awareness, early identification and management of risks is critical to our success."

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