This week, from May 7th to 11th, Eldorado is celebrating International Safety Week at our sites and offices around the world. International Safety Week is a way for everyone in the Company to consider the importance of health & safety at work and in their personal lives, and renew their commitment to working safely.
We are kicking off International Safety Week 2018 by introducing our Golden Rules for safety as a new Company-wide program that makes our corporate health & safety goals part of everyone’s workday.
Nearly every job on a mine site has heightened safety risks, as hundreds of people, heavy equipment, hazardous substances, and the natural environment all interact to produce the raw materials that keep our world moving.
“In mining, we deal with huge amounts of energy, so performing every task safely is critical to the wellbeing of yourself and others,” explains George Burns, our President and CEO. “It can be challenging to remember and follow all safety procedures, particularly if you’re trying to get your tasks done quickly.”
That is why we have created Eldorado’s Golden Rules, a set of safety procedures that every employee and contractor must follow while at work. The Rules include specific risks and procedures for common mining activities such as:
- Handling tools and equipment
- Working at heights
- Handling hazardous substances.
- Being mentally and physically fit for work
“We want people to stop, think about the job that they are doing, fix anything that needs to be fixed, and then execute the job safely,” says Paul Skayman, our Chief Operating Officer. George adds: “It’s important to think through tasks to ensure you’re not going to be harmed and your co-workers are not going to be harmed.”
To help employees assess the safety risks and procedures of the task they are about to perform, we have made the Golden Rules into a pocket-sized handbook that is a mandatory part of every worker’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). It must be carried at all times while at site.
By having constant access to The Golden Rules handbook, our safety framework for each task can be easily followed. With every action we must all:
- STOP – before starting an activity, take a moment to observe your environment and your planned actions
- THINK – Consider the safety risks associated with the activity
- FIX – Make corrections to your plan and take all necessary actions to keep yourself and others safe
- EXECUTE – Perform the activity by following all safety procedures, controls and mandatory actions
“The goal of The Golden Rules is to create and sustain injury-free, healthy work environments for our employees, contractors and communities”, says Paul. Carrying the Golden Rules with us throughout our work day reminds us all that safety is at the centre of everything we do, and that we all have a reason to return home from work unharmed.
As part of International Safety Week, we are proud to showcase the introduction of Eldorado’s Golden Rules of Safety program, and encourage everyone to think: why do I work safely?
“For me, if there’s something in the back of my head that’s saying ‘I’m not sure about this’, then don’t do the work. Until we’re sure it can be done safely, we don’t execute the work. Safety is part of each of our jobs. Everyone is accountable”, says George.
Click on the link below to watch our Golden Rules Training Video and hear more from George and Paul about the importance of safety in mining:
You made a good point when you said that all safety procedures and controls must be performed before mining activities start. This reminds me of companies that need to hire a marine engineer for their ongoing mining projects. I could imagine how a reliable mining engineer could contribute to the safety of the overall operations.