ISSA Mining on risk assessment and good practice

Helmut Ehnes, Secretary-General, International Section of the ISSA on Prevention in the Mining Industry (ISSA Mining) and Director Prevention, BG RCI (Germany) showed a systematic approach of proven methods to improve safety in mining and other sectors. Ehnes discussed economic benefits of efficient prevention, gave examples of corporations with outstanding safety results, and called for international collaboration in his talk "Vision Zero. Safe Mining: Strategies and Tools".

Insights and facts on Ukrainian mine safety were given by Stepan V. Dunas, Deputy Chairman of the State Service for Mining Supervision and Industrial Safety (Ukraine) in his presentation titled "Specifics of the State Technical Supervision in Ukraine after Re-organisation of the State Service for Mining Supervision and Industrial Safety".

Advancing Global Deepwater Capabilities: Findings of the Deepwater Horizon incident

Edmond Thompson, Director Programme Management, Group Crisis & Continuity Management of BP (UK) explained the Deepwater Horizon accident on 20 April 2010 taking eleven lives and leaving many more injured. Thompson explained BP's commitment to prevent future accidents and the intention to share knowledge throughout the deepwater industry. On the accident, Thompson reported that the investigation team's finding showed that the tragedy was the result of multiple and complex causes and the activities of multiple parties. The 26 recommendations resulting from the investigation teams’ work are implemented worldwide at BP, said Thompson, including better contractor management and assurance on blowout preventers, well control and cement testing. Continuous self-verification and independent audits will confirm the delivery of each action. To improve deepwater drilling safety, BP is engaging governments, regulators and the industry in key offshore and deepwater basins Thompson stated.

Mining safety in focus

Session 4 of the forum was dedicated exclusively to mining, titled "Lessons from the Accident (San José Mine, Chile, 2010)".

Codelco's Fidel Nunez, Senior Manager for Mining Technology and Innovation, and  Katharina Jenny, Occupational Health and Safety Manager titled their talk "The Rescue at San Jose Mine, Sharing an Amazing Experience", showing impressively how Codelco, called upon for help in retrieving the 33 trapped miners in the Atacama desert 2010, contributed people, knowledge and equipment to lead the disaster to a happy ending. Fidel Nunez gave impressive insight into the challenges facing the rescuers, including drilling methods, communication with “Los 33” – “the 33” and supplies with food, drinks, and medication. Once more, international cooperation played a big role in the successful efforts.

Occupational safety and health plays an important role at Codelco. Its goals include a record five years without fatalities, a frequency rate under 1 and automation of dangerous processes by 2015, and to be in the top five in the base metal industry. Jenny showed how the corporations global frequency rate and global severity rate  could be lowered constantly over the last years. The company recorded an average of six fatalities per year from 2000, and an average of 67 new occupational diseases (silicosis, hearing loss due to noise impact, and muscoloskeletal disorders). On this ground, Codelco aims to improve occupational safety and health by means of changed management standards, systematic approaches and continuous verification of efficiency.

The consecutive talk was given by Rodrigo Santana, Regional Director of  the National Service of Geology and Mining (SERNAGEOMIN) in Magallanes  of the  Ministry of Mining (Chile). Titled "Chilean Evolution of the  Mining Security", Santana explained that Chile is accounting for 30% of  world-wide copper reserves. The accident rate in Chile is lower than in  other sectors, showed Santana, up to 75% less than in "Transport and  communications" and manufacturing, albeit the fatality rate of Chilean  miners is the highest of all sectors comparing only to "Transport and  communications" while three times higher than in manufacturing. Compared  to prior years, the fatality rate in mining decreased significantly and  constant. 2010, the number of fatalities was 86% lower than in 1980.  The decrease, explained Santana, has been achieved by identifying causes  such as labor factors, substandard conditions, and personal impacts.  Adapted regulations and inspections took these factors into  consideration, training methods have been adapted. The by far highest  amount of mining accidents is recorded in underground mining, accounting  for more accidents than treatment plants, open pits and related  industries together. Almost one in three victims had been on the job for  one to six month at the occurrence.

Conference material online

The Forum included the following sessions:

• Measures to ensure industrial safety. Solutions and experiences of the government oversight and intergovernmental organizations
• Corporate experience in providing trouble-free technological process
• Occupational Safety and Health
• Safety of Nuclear Power Plants. Aspects of radiation safety in the energy sector
• Lessons learned from the accident at the mine of San Jose, Chile, 2010
• Training systems for specialist’s training
• Risk Management. Ensuring the reliability of technical systems. Problems and solutions
• Ensuring safe operation of technically complex and high-rise buildings. Technical Diagnostics

The website http://www.conference.gce.ru/en/ delivers presentations, photos, and the entire audio recording.

Download: Vision Zero. Safe Mining: Strategies and Tools –  Presentation by Helmut Ehnes