I have commented on the statutory safety framework for quarries in New Zealand on LinkedIn.... Please click the embedded link > > Quarry Operators New Zealand << This is in response to the tragic death of Murray Taylor, who died when rock fell on him in a quarry he leased from the local district council.
What I expect to now happen is hand-wringing, politicians grandstanding, but very little done to address the parlous safety culture within NZ's extractive industry.
The current system doesn't work. It is designed for medium to large quarrying operations with a management structure already in place. The smaller operators and farmers, of which there are thousands, are left out in the cold. If they hear about such a thing as a Certificate of Competence, they run a mile.
I have an idea....
The Regulatory Environment
What could be done is scale certification to the size of operation, so with a farm quarry or a sole operator with one or two staff, they attend a one day course on safety, dealing with the key reasons people are injured or killed (see how to create a safety culture below ).
Such a system would reach far more, and would get these guys on record. Then as their businesses grow they can advance further by adding to their competency, finally arriving at the A grade quarry manager certificate. By setting the hurdle so high, with the B grade certificate right from the start, many never try and so they end up expanding and often ignoring safety. Or far more likely, they do some things effectively but others they miss. Get them on board early, then work with them.
Creating A Safe Workplace Culture
Current certification deals mostly with physical things, such as machinery and geology, while in fact most accidents are caused by behavioural considerations - tiredness and sickness, recklessness, poor judgement, pressure to perform and the real biggie which most are simply unaware of - complacency. That's right, those things you get used to are the things that up and bite you on the arse.
Experienced guys get injured or killed when they're no longer scared. Scared is good, it means you'll be careful, watch out, watch others and if you have the right culture, watch each other and talk about things, like hazards and the real biggie - close calls. You need to internalise those close calls as well as have it out in the open.
It takes a big boss to bring this culture to the workplace. It means dis-empowering the manager to a certain extent and empowering the workers. If a guy says to the manager "I don't like the way that guy comes around behind me, he's too close and this morning I nearly backed in to him." What does the manager say in reply?
"Bring it up at smoko, this is something we need to talk about". Or does he say, "Just you do your job and I'll look after safety round here." I've heard the latter said a lot. It's not safe and leads to poor communication, less caring ( warm fuzzies I know) and consequently more accidents. Top down doesn't work, bottom up does when it comes to safety. Most business owners and senior managers reject the notion, because they're scared of the implications, the big gorilla in the room, workplace democracy.
All extractive industry would benefit from my approach - whether it be mining, farming, forestry, fishing or quarrying.
The Last Fateful Step
I can hear my father's voice in my head as I write this, he trained me so well. Just turning up to work, being in a hurry, getting frustrated with something and going at things like a bull at a gate (my biggest crime when young and starting out), doesn't immediately get you injured. It just increases the risk. What gets you injured is taking that last fateful step; slipping, not paying attention, taking your eye off things, and standing right there or moving in the way. Turn up to work having had two hours sleep (yes I've done it when young), then going flat out to catch up (yes me again), then standing right behind a wheel loader while he's backing up? Want to get yourself killed? That last thing I've never done, in fact my father trained me so well to always keep alert and to stay out the way, I've never suffered an injury at work, nor has anyone who's worked for me. Not a single trip to the doctor, and nothing more than a scratch on the hand.
Training isn't about how to be a great machine operator, it's about knowing how to identify the condition you're in, and how to minimise that risk to yourself and others by critically examining the actions of others and by examining your own habits. It's this last step that is noticeably missing and why serious accidents are increasing. Learning how to trigger comes about by talking to one another and the manager being on board and inclusive. It's about training how to think.
Scenario
Two wheel loaders working around the mobile crushing plant, you're in one with your offsider in the other.
Step 1 - You need to acknowledge both machines are very powerful as well as the crushers. You were up late the night before with a crying baby so could be tired.
You notice that your offsider is often jumping out of his cab, running across the ground to clear a blockage from the crusher, and he does so without indicating he's about to do it, either by radio talk and in the absence of a radio by making eye contact followed by hand gestures.
Step 2 - As he scurries over the ground you reflexively move your machine toward him without thinking, he jumps to one side, no problems, and he does his job. Note to self to watch these mistakes of yours.
Step 3 - As the day goes by you note that both of you are not always watching where you're going and there are other close calls. You talk about this at the end of the day and you both resolve to communicate better between operators and to watch where you're going.
Step 4 - Think about your habit of taking off without thinking, correct it over the next few days until your habit changes to one where you check your ground before moving.
It's these steps that are the hardest to achieve.
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