Management's Role In Health And Safety

Underground coal mining is one of the most hazardous major industries in the United States today. Over the past 20 years, more than 6,000 mine workers have been killed in our mines. The American public has become more aware of the health and safety problem in our mines, and they have become more concerned. We must protect the health of our coal miners. Fatalities and injuries must be drastically reduced now. The best way this can be achieved is through control of the working environment and the actions of the people who work in that environment. Now, only management can implement such controls. That is why primarily safety must start with top management. Many mining companies have their own individualized safety program or plan for eliminating accidents. Let's listen to one of the more successful mine safety programs being discussed. Got as much out of it as the rest of us. Thank you, Mr. Gardner, for inviting me to the safety meeting. It's been quite informative. We're happy to have you, Ron. I'm glad to be here. I'd like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind. Well, of course not. You go right ahead. Well, you know, Mr. Gardner, your company has an extraordinary safety record. To what specifically can you attribute this accomplishment? There's probably no one specific thing to which I can credit our low injury record. I can say that above everything else, safety is our first consideration. That's our corporation's philosophy, our way of life. What is the most significant feature of your safety program? The essence of our program is that health and safety are built into our whole mining operation from the planning of facility construction through the mining and preparation of coal. Do your health and safety programs ever cost more than profits will permit? No, not in the long run. Possibly the initial cost of building a an extensive, all-encompassing safety program will be high, but we feel that since a man's safety and well-being are directly related to his productive capacity, an investment in safety is a definite investment in the future, our company's future as well as the workers. We can understand that with continually rising costs, such as insurance and compensation, any preventive measures you take now will certainly pay dividends in the future. But, can you give us some idea how a proven, practical mine safety plan works? Our people have developed a basic safety program that's been highly effective for us in reducing accidents. Over the years, we've modified and improved the plan according to actual mining experience and needs. We know that it's fundamentally sound and it can be highly useful to many mining companies who wish to set up a new safety program or improve, or reinforce, or supplement an existing one. The supervisors. Safety cannot be delegated. It's the foreman Since the foreman is a key man in production, he should be the key The general precept behind the safety program presented is that line management is directly accountable for safety performance. uh discuss to provide each miner with self-rescuing device to be worn on your belt or to be close The program had to include the means of increasing safety knowledge and skills, effective accident prevention tools. And training provided by top management accomplished this and enabled line management to translate the paper safety programs into programs of action. three separate parts. We have the sensing head, the detecting unit, and the battery pack or the power unit. Three important factors were recognized in the development of this safety program. The first was that greater emphasis would be placed upon the analysis and interpretation of safety statistics, records, accident occurrences, and investigations. The second factor was that various safety activities would be conducted and recorded. Some of these activities were individual safety contacts where once a week foreman would personally talk with individual workmen on the job, discuss with them the hazards involved and precautions to be taken, convey changes in operating procedures and evaluate the individual's job knowledge. Another activity was safety observations, where foreman are directly responsible for observing and evaluating each employee's work at least twice a month to detect potential accident causes, reveal problem jobs and conditions, and to evaluate educational efforts. Other activities were safety meetings conducted once a week by foreman with their crews. In addition to the normal observations, planned monthly tool and equipment inspections were made by the foreman. Defective tools were then immediately repaired or replaced. The third factor in the safety program development was safety appraisal. Included in this was company mine inspections, rigid and thorough inspections with emphasis on ventilation and roof control. The more frequent and thorough the company's inspections, the fewer safety violations and less need for state or federal punitive action and the more time and money saved. Also included in this appraisal was the reporting of all safety violations from company, state, and federal inspections covering the number and type of formal reprimands assessed employees and the evaluating and reporting of employees safety performance as reflected by the frequency and severity of mine injuries. The performance records kept on each individual miner were valuable in planning individual training and follow-up needs. Information gathered from the safety activities, analysis, and appraisals was utilized to check workers compliance with safety performance standards established by the program. It was then determined where and what changes for improvement were needed. Safety analysis of job elements is a continuing activity where everyone is involved. The need is to standardize and improve program methods according to actual on-the-job experience. Another important factor in the effectiveness of a safety plan is the time or experience an employee has on the job in performing a specific task. Statistics show that the first week on a new job is the most dangerous. Man is more prone or likely to have an accident. Even older, more experienced miners who change jobs after 20 years on the ground are more susceptible to accidents during their first month on a new job. Therefore, when a man is employed by a company, he should be given proper training in both job skills and safety practices and then follow-up training in basic elemental safety awareness and practices. A miner must be provided a safe place in which to work with proper tools and machines to do his job so that he'll be able to devote full energies to his work without danger to his life and health. It is management's responsibility to see that these conditions and materials are available. Morning, Andy. How are you today? Morning, Jim. Fine, thank you. How are you doing? Oh, I'm real fine. It's a nice looking stock in your building there, huh? It is also the responsibility of managers and supervisors to take every opportunity to praise or commend employees for their efforts to do their work safely. All right. Well, I'll see you a little later then. Be careful. Okay. Supervisors should encourage their men to speak up or express their safety needs. They should be willing to exchange ideas on accident prevention to get the men personally involved in job safety analysis. And they should follow through to see that all good ideas are considered and acted upon. Arthur, how are you doing? Pretty good. Good. There's a couple things that I noticed when I looked at this car here that uh where our cable goes under the piping there, it should be insulated through there. And uh we could use a couple of uh insulators for our billing uh cable there. And uh okay. Our fire extinguisher should be put up on a post or kind of a proper places where it should be actually. If this is done and if workmen know that their ideas will be considered and acted upon, much will be accomplished toward the development of safe attitudes and behavior. It's like you did a good job. Toward increasing morale and the overall spirit of cooperativeness and toward reducing accidents. Presently, the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 deals with many physical elements of mine health and safety and prescribes minimum standards that must be met by management. But what we are seeking is a revolution in the mines, a revolution not only in mining technology, but also in the attitudes and behavior of both management and workers towards mine health and safety. Industry's best hope for achieving this revolution and the reduction of injuries is through an effective safety program that stresses better supervision backed by appropriate corrective action. The safety program should also stress adequate safety education directed toward getting employees to think safety and act safely. And sufficient on-the-job training to teach the necessary skills, job methods, and operating procedures to the men who work in our nation's mining industry. Health and safety is just one element in the total minerals utilization system, but it is one that affects not only the future of the mining industry and the individual miner, but one that affects the future of our nation itself. The coal mine must be made a safe and healthy place in which to work. And the miners must be trained to work there in a safe manner. These are management's primary roles in health and safety. Roles no manager can afford to ignore. Ron, I uh I hope you found this as productive and as enjoyable as we have talking to you. If you have any questions at any time, do give us a call. And uh I guess that's it unless anyone has questions. Let's Let's call the meeting until next Monday. Again, thanks, gentlemen, very much. It's nice to have you with us. Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you.