The following is a story about a mining operation. It is in all rights and intentions a fictional one, but the subject matter addressed in this story was taken from thirty five years experience in the mining industry.
There was a mining operation that had good production, low cost and once in a while they would have a lost time accident. When they had a lost time accident the mine manager would call in the safety manager and ask, why do you have to report that? We can put him to work doing something and the wheelchair will roll easy on the concrete floor in the bathhouse! The safety manager told him that in accordance with cfr 30 part 50 they would have to report it since he was not able to do his regular job. The operations manager said the last safety manager we had never reported a lost time accident. The safety manager said he was aware of that since the last safety manager was fired following the last part 50 (accident reporting audit ) conducted by MSHA following the award you got for working three years accident free and not reporting the wheelchair fleet that you kept in the bathhouse.
The mines Manager said we have great production and low mine cost. We cannot have these lost time accident reports! I want you to get in the mines and see what you can do to prevent these lost time accident reports. The Safety Manager went to each section and observed all of the miners at work and spoke to each one of the miners about the lost time accident report. Each of the miners told him that they had record production and the lowest mine cost. When the miners were queried about the lost time accident said they had not heard of any reports but we had a lot of folks keeping the bathhouse clean at the mine. The Safety Manager inquired of the supervisors concerning the lost time accident report. They informed him that they had record production and the lowest mine cost and they were not aware of any lost time accident reports. They then said they were aware of a lot of the man power from time to time was allocated to the bathhouse for cleaning duties.
The Safety Manager went back to the Operations manager with his findings and stated the following as a matter of fact concerning the lost time accident reports;
1. This mine was one of the highest producers!
2. This Mine had the lowest Mine Cost!
3. This Mine Had not issued any Lost Time Accident Reports.
4. This Mine had the Cleanest Bathhouse in the Company.
In conclusion, and as a matter of Fact the problem was not the Lost Time Accident Reports it was one of accidents. In laymen’s terms if you prevent the accidents from occurring you prevent the darn accident reports. If you focus on accident prevention like you focus on production and mine cost the accidents will be prevented, you will have good production and lower your mine cost.
The Mine Manager was fired! The Safety Manager was promoted to President of the Company since someone had sent a copy of his findings to the Board of Directors!
Do you use your Safety Department like an Accident Insurance policy? Only taking it off the shelf and using it to take care of the accident after the fact? Be proactive include & use the safety professionals and their tools to help prevent accidents. Since everyone works for the Safety Department! Accident Prevention is Everyone’s Focus!
Author:
H. Ty Coleman, C.M.S.P.
2/6/2012