What is this initiative, and who is behind it?
CORESafety is a partnership led by the members of the National Mining Association (NMA). It’s an approach to mining safety and health to prevent accidents before they happen using a management system that involves leadership, management and assurance. Its objective is to have zero fatalities and a 50 percent reduction in mining’s injury rate within five years (0:50:5).
How is leadership a core element of mining safety and health?
Effective leaders determine the importance of safety and health management in their organizations. They help define and drive the culture by ensuring adequate resources are devoted to safety and health; they set the example through personal behavior; they communicate a strong personal safety and health vision for the company; and they hold others accountable for their safety and health responsibilities.
How can I better integrate a health and safety management system into our culture?
First you evaluate who your organization is and what you want it to be. That evaluation looks at how employees perceive the value of safety in your organization, how they perceive their roles and responsibilities and how risks and accidents are managed throughout the organization. Strengths and weaknesses are identified, and strategies are developed and implemented to address weaknesses and enhance strengths.
Employees at all levels of the organization must not only understand work instructions, but also understand how the system works and the differences between regulatory-driven programs and a systematic approach that drives safety and health improvement—including their role in it. Expectations should be clarified, and adequate training and education provided. Individuals should be held accountable for effective performance and recognized through promotions and other rewards programs.
How does safety affect production?
Effective health and safety systems can improve production because work procedures are improved throughout the organization. Fewer accidents means fewer down-times and other interruptions.
How does safety affect costs?
Effective health and safety systems can help avoid costly shutdowns; reduce insurance, worker’s compensation and emergency response costs; and limit loss of sales and shareholder value, among other costs.
How does safety influence our reputation?
The general public, investors, potential employees and members of the community look to an organization’s safety record as an indicator of a company that not only cares about its employees, but also cares about its performance in other areas of responsibility, including the environment and its relationships with the community. Mining is in competition for good employees, and excellence in mining safety and health is a strong recruiting tool.
What is expected of my organization?
After you have signed the CORESafety pledge and familiarized your company with the CORESafety and Health Management System, the next step is to perform a gap analysis that will indicate how your current safety and health programs fit with CORESafety.
What is the CORESafety System based on?
The CORESafety system has been customized to mining and is based on successful health and safety management systems used in other industries, as well as mining in other countries, that have successfully improved their health and safety performance. CORESafety is the first system to integrate leadership and culture into an industry management system.