Proudfoot has the privilege of working with many of the largest mining organizations in the world, and with them, we have participated in numerous forward-thinking safety enhancement programs. In a recent project at an Australian coal mine, we worked with maintenance leaders creating performance interactions, similar to safety interactions, to enable a greater awareness of performance-related indicators. Establishing this same mechanism that reinforces safety to heighten the awareness of performance led to reductions in lost time.

We've noticed many mining companies looking to new and innovative techniques to create improvements in safety and loss control, for example a mine in South America is examining the use of psychological testing tools to determine workers' propensity toward injury and accident (through carelessness or distraction), allowing management to take corrective action in advance. Others are sharing safety-related information (causes of incidents) with competitor mines in the area, conducting joint safety awareness activities and making safety part of daily employee tasks.

Behaviour change is difficult to achieve, however many companies are starting to approach safety as a human engineering issue rather than one solved by the simple installation of safety systems. Approaching safety as a behavioural change (and a component of the mine culture) instead of mere training and procedures requires an examination of the actual behaviours, cues and prompts in the field.

While safety equipment is easily procured and legislated, the most important aspect of safety – human behaviour – is more challenging. It takes a behavioural-change approach, extensive training, and active supervision to save lives, day in and day out.

Our next edition will contain case studies and helpful hints on this all-important topic!