Pub. 8 2018 Issue 1

17 MINING FOCUS One way to analyze safety culture is by measuring five specific factors: • Information: The information should be about matters such as how information is communicated through the company, employee confidence in the information they receive, how performance is measured, and any abnormal mining occurrences. • Organizational learning: This refers to when an abnormal occurrence takes place. How is the occurrence analyzed? What are the results of the analysis? How is the analysis applied to improve safety? • Commun i c a t i o n : A r e t h e r e information channels? How does the company communicate about safety at work? How effective is the communication? • C omm i t me n t : C omp a n i e s demonstrate their commitment to safety by consciously making safety a priority, having those in authority openly support it verbally and by following safety procedures, planning for safety, making safety- oriented investments, performing safety audits, providing safety training, writing and using safety procedures, and monitor ing contractors for compliance with safety procedures. • Involvement and Ownership: This factor measures the interest and follow-through employees have with respect to safety-related activities. In a successful safety culture, employees take ownership of the safety program. The combination of technological advancements and an unwavering commitment to a culture of safety has made the U.S. mining industry the safest in the world. Another misconception about mining surrounds the environmental impact of modern mines. When it comes to environmental issues, unfortunately most view mining in a negative way. Much of that perception is the result of legacy environmental issues from historic, pre-regulation mining. Modern mines, however, are governed by a comprehensive suite of environmental laws and regulations that work effectively to protect the environment through every stage of a mining project, from exploration to development, to closure and reclamation. In the mining industry, improvement in environmental per formance is continually sought and implemented. As is the case with safety, technological innovations help spur that improvement. The following examples of innovative technologies are transforming the way miners work: INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY continued on page 18