A case study exploring field-level risk assessments as a leading safety indicator.

Area of Science:

• Mining Engineering
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Risk Management

Background:

• Health and safety indicators are crucial for predicting events and managing risks in mine sites.
• Challenges in risk assessment include varying risk perceptions, lack of trust, and inconsistent participation in safety programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the development and implementation of a field-level risk assessment program at a trona mine.
• To illustrate how a transformational process can foster a culture of risk assessment and hazard correction.

Main Methods:

• Focus on a single trona mine's experience with risk assessment implementation.
• Utilized ongoing leadership development, support, and communication strategies.
• Employed consistent risk assessment tools to engage the workforce.

Main Results:

• Fostered a participatory workforce actively identifying hazards and contributing factors to incidents.
• Successfully navigated barriers in documenting and managing risks.
• Facilitated the identification of leading indicators to reduce incident rates.

Conclusions:

• Consistent application of risk assessment tools and transformational leadership are key to building a strong safety culture in mining.
• Addressing challenges in risk perception and system buy-in is essential for effective risk management programs.
• Proactive hazard identification and correction through field-level assessments lead to a reduction in mining incidents.