Merry Christmas

Nothing more to say.  js

Pictures

More pictures

Pictures

Surface Mine Rescue Course
Donning SCBA 

Just left Agnico-Eagle Meadowbank

Spent the past 5 days prepping and deliverying a Basic Surface Mine Rescue course onsite. I believe the training went well, a keen bunch. Looking forward to getting home, it has been a long month.
Mining never ceases to amaze me, so many different folks, from so many area's and they all work together.
Christmas is almost upon us, try to ensure that you do not allow the 'stresses' of this season to effect your ability to pay attention while in traffic, looking at the weather channel and it seems that most of Canada is under storm warning.
Be prepared for break down, have some blankets, a tarp, a few candles and some waterproof matches. Make sure someone knows where you are going, a cell phone is handy.
Will post some pictures when I get a stronger internet signal.
Take it easy, Merry Christmas to you all. js

A busy month to date...

Been in a couple of locations in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut conducting some Advance First Medical Responder training, followed by Post Fall Arrest (Basic High Angle Rope Work) and assisting on an Ice Rescue course.

Some of these pics are of the students. Not too many pictures taken, busy.

Still to conduct a Basic Surface Mine Rescue course here then home for Christmas Lord willing.

Always is a pleasure to work with folks who are dedicated to improving and building on their skill set. Lord willing more pictures to follow in a couple of days. js

A Safe Attitude

When I am walking around a site, there are many indications that make it clear to me whether the management and workforce are diligent towards following safe work procedures. Some of them in themselves, may seem trivial, but combined they can give a clear picture of what is actually going on, what the actual attitude towards following procedures is.

Workers without appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (safety glasses & hardhats) in area's where the policies state or the worksite environment requires same, smoking in area's where the company or the worker could receive a fine while supervisory personnel are in eyesight range, Safety personnel who state that they are not getting support. These are just some, easily seen and commented upon.

This stems from the top, no one likes to look into the mirror and say "I'm the man" but in this case and similar ones; "if the shoe fits, then you wear it".

Senior management sets the tone for the job attitude towards safe work procedures on a worksite. It is far too easy to make the statement that those rules are not as important or that they are safe where it counts.

If you allow your workers to disregard rules in one area, then all areas will become negotiable, this is deadly.

Procedures and safe work rules must be doable and not unrealistic, then they must be enforced. If they cannot be enforced due to complexity or unsuitability, then they must be reviewed rewritten if required, removed if un-needed and if after this process, if the hazard still exists then re-instated (and enforced).

Christmas is getting close, the time of year when many of us (for not only personal reasons, but because of the TV commercials and shows, the music in shopping and public area's) may not be fully concentrating on our work.

Supervisors, you must be on the ball, managers, you must not let them down, train them and back them up!

I may get a chance to post again prior to the Christmas week, but if not, Best Wishes during the holiday season to you all. God Bless. js

Mine safety & post fall arrest

Been visiting a northern mine for the past week, conducting some mine rescue/first aid type training. Been a good visit. Off to another property for a few days to conduct some post fall arrest type training.
With the pressures that are placed on the lower body when a person falls, there is absolutely no excuse to not have some method to allow a worker to raise himself off of the straps. Have some pictures that are not appropriate for my forum but I cannot imagine the pain the worker was in.
If you are doing rescue work this can be easily remedied by a webbing strap to a lower leg.
I will be posting some pictures on this when I get home. js

Racing trains

Funny thing after that last post, I was conducting a Emergency First Aid course and the attenders were all engineers from CN Rail.

Off course the conversation turned to what exactly would be big enough for them to feel it when it hit if it was across the tracks.  After listening to their stories about frozen moose and tree's upwards of 18 inches in diameter and not feeling anything in the cab, I am convinced (if I needed it) that racing the train is beyond ridiculous.

You can't win, slow down.   You all play safe today.  js

An Iron Clad Document

I did not write the following, and though I may agree or disagree with some of the statements I believe it is a good article to illustrate our current attitudes towards the safety of our workforce by reflecting on the past.  

I do not believe, if you had asked a business, industrial or railway man from the previous century or prior about his concern for his workers that he would have thought himself careless, I think he would have just fiqured it was the cost of business and development and something fiscally beyond his control.   We have all heard the term "act of God" or "beyond our control" (probably too often...). 

Enough of my comments, enjoy:

On October 24, 1908, Mrs. Avery Burke, from Crowley, Louisiana, received a telegram informing her that her husband was seriously injured while working as a railroad brakeman.

Unfortunately, many family members of railroaders received telegrams of the same nature in the 1800’s.
Needless to say, years ago a railroad brakeman’s job was an extremely dangerous one. Many were killed or maimed due to being crushed between railcars, tumbling from a railcar or falling between the cars of a moving train.
Before the advent of the automatic braking system, brakemen had to physically apply the brakes on each individual railcar au la main (by hand.) It was extremely dangerous and unsafe. The brakemen’s job was to climb on top of the roof of the railcar and walk on a narrow wooden catwalk or platform to get to the brake wheel, as the train was moving and the railcar was swaying from side to side and pitching under his feet. There were no handrails to grasp to steady themselves while performing their duties. Once a car’s brakes were applied or released, the brakemen had to cross the gap between the railcars by jumping in many, if not all, cases. And even in inclement weather.
The train’s length, determined how many brakemen were required on each train. Here, in Louisiana, on flat terrain, only two were usually required, the head and rear brakemen. Their job was to actually walk on top of the railcars while the train was moving. The train’s Engineer would signal, by the use of the train’s horn or whistle, when to apply or to release the brakes by turning a brake wheel.
There were numerous times the signals were not heard or were misinterpreted; and subsequently, many times, a derailment or collision occurred because of the inability to stop the train in a timely manner.
When the automatic airbrake system was adopted it greatly improved the railroad safety. No longer were brakemen required to risk life and limb to stop a train; and now with the locomotive engineer in control of the brakes, whistle signal misinterpretation for applying and releasing brakes were eliminated. As a result, longer and heavier trains could safety run at higher speeds.
During this era, before automatic airbrake system and the link and pin couplers, railroaders could not purchase life insurance due to the hazardous nature and frequency of on the job fatalities and injuries!
Benevolent societies were created for the purpose of collecting donations to give to a bereaved family after the death or serious injury to a co-worker. In the 1860’s when unions were first created, contrary to popular belief, they were not created for safety reasons. Their primary purpose was to provide life insurance to the members who died as a result of their extremely hazardous duties. At the time union organizations were formed, seventy percent of all train crews could expect an injury within five years of service. In 1893, over 18,000 railroad workers were injured and 1,657 were killed. In addition, prior to the unions there were no laws requiring safety in the rail industry, or seniority rights for employees; and employees were fired at the whim of company officers. In fact, any employee of the rail industry who attempted to form or belong to a union was fired without recourse. 
Many railroad employees were required to sign a contract, infamously known as a “yellow dog contract or clause” at the time of hire, which meant immediate removal from service, or fired, to any employee who joined a union. This agreement containing a pledge not to join a union was also referred to as the “Infamous Document,” and sometimes called an “iron clad document.” The name, “iron clad” soon became synonymous with non-union promise until the close of the nineteenth-century.
In 1893, one of the first victories for unions was won with the passage of the Safety Appliance Act that outlawed the “old man-killer”, the link and pin coupler, which required a trainmen to hold the link in one hand, while the engineer shoved his train or railcars towards the car to be coupled to, as the trainmen inserted the pin into the link to secure the coupling. Lots of fingers and hands were mangled, not to mention life and limb.
Five years later, in 1898, another Congressional Act made it a criminal offense for railroads to dismiss employees or to discriminate against prospective employees because of their union membership or activity. Other acts and laws soon followed which greatly improved safety and working conditions for the employees in the rail industry.Today, railroad work is still dangerous, but not unsafe as it once was.

Hattip to: William  http://conservativecajun.blogspot.com/

Play safe today.  js

Home from Dryden

Just home from Dryden, attended a conference on Entreprenueship.  It was interesting to talk and meet with small and large businessmen and women and consultants in other and similar fields.

Talked with a President of a trucking company which has successfully set up themselves to met the ISO standards.  This is a good idea and will open her company up to new contracts from organizations that require this standard among their bidders.

I am all for bringing our work standards up, the only difficulty I have is that too many times, the senior management 'buys in' but the workforce and middle management do not.

Leadership is everything, if the senior management allow themselves to get to busy focused on the bottomline or meeting deadlines the first thing to go (especially in smaller organizations) will be the safety rules... we're all in a hurry and the job needs to get done, the order needs to be met, etc etc.

Safety management needs to be on the front boiler for all senior managers and owners.  When I was talking with this woman president, I mentioned that I have taught various course's on sites where the attendee's had no idea who I was, (just a "WHMIS", "First Aid" or "whatever") instructor.  I try to always utilize the companies safety policy in any training.  When workers body language speaks, it speaks volumes.

You should regularly question your employees confidentially as to what they truely thing of your safety record and act on the deficiencies, most do not cost money just time.  Serious accidents have a habit of being under the radar until they strike.

It was enjoyable to talk with a CEO who was dedicated to her workforce and organization.  js

Monthly Safety Point

Be aware while driving that the kids are back on the streets. I have noticed many times (now that I don't keep regular travel times due to working at home or on different sites and irregular timings) that there times of great traffic load and others when the traffic is quite sparse.

The kids have had all summer to dash about, many times in the same location that they are now schooling, it is far too easy for them to 'not notice' the extra cars. Of course it is only all too human to want to get where we are going, to be mentally focused on what we want to achieve for the day… with its tendency to 'not' see things around us.

Take extra care today and for the next couple of weeks to be extra vigilant, leave a little earlier, stay within or even just a little below the posted speed limit, don’t allow yourself to get in a hurry.

When I was in the military, one of the signs posted in the 'Permanent Married Quarters' (PMQ) area where my wife and I lived (prior to children), stated: "Please slow down, the child you hit... may be your own."

Please slow down. js

August Safety Talk

As the summer draws to a close it is important that we not drop our guard towards ours and others safety, both on the job and at home or the lake, cottage, country, travel etc.

From my experience and from studies I have reviewed many accidents happen only miles from our homes, in familiar territory, usually due to us 'dropping' our guard and relaxing before the task or job is complete.  This applies more readily to the jobsite also.  

Enjoy the last days of the summer, go into the winter months to come with a positive attitude towards yours, your co-workers and families safety.  js

July Safety Point

When orientating your workforce and management personel it is important to set out clear 'authority' and 'accountability' guidelines.  Bullying and harassment take many forms and at times are difficult to recognise.  

This is primarily a Human Resources issue but will easily become a Safety one as a "Hostile Work Environment" can cause lack of attention, short cut taking and in extreme cases unacceptable risk taking.

Ensure your workplace requirements are clear and that all levels are aware that they can bring up these points and that action will be taken.  js 

Heading home

 Just left Ekati in the Northwest Territories, working with their 'Emergency Response' Competition Mine Rescue team members under contract through 'Arctic Response'.
Covered a lot of ground in only a few days, reviewed basic skills and conducted some individual and team level Underground and Surface Mining First Aid orientated scenarios.  We also conducted some Low and High Angle Rope Rescue training.  Was a lot of fun and I believed we all learned a lot.  Of course I was so busy I didn't take any photos.  Next time.  
Can only wish them the best on their upcoming performance in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Annual Mine Rescue Competition in Yellowknife next week.

June Safety Point: What you ignore you condone, what you condone you accept and by extension, what you accept you actually may inadvertently encourage.  
As management and leaders be aware that your workers and supervisors are always watching your example (even as you are stepping out to the parking lot).  Have a safe month.  js

Busy Month

May has been a busy month.  Updating some of my skills and preparing for future contracts.  Off to the north again in a few days, assisting a Mine Rescue team in their preparations for competition.  I am a firm believer in: 'how you train, is how you will perform when the chips fall'.  
I will keep you posted.  js

Update and May Safety Tip

Three man exploratory team working its way through the mine.  Very small amount of underground area available here and because operations are going on in all area's.  There is nothing that can beat training in the environment that you will operate in.
Used garbage bags over the head instead of 'real' smoke to simulate limited visibility, this is much harder than 'real' smoke as with the bag, you cannot see anything.  
Smoke sometimes breaks, clears or is thin enough due to air currents that you may be able to see your hands or even just in front of your face.  With double bags and tied on there is no visibility, period.  Most UG fires, you will not be able to see anything if in smoke.
Garbage bags have one other major drawback, your body heat does not dissipate.  Even with the cool temperatures of this site and ice blocks of the BG4, you 'warm up'.  
This can and will add stress from heat which could be present in underground fire conditions.  The team must be closely monitored by the trainer to ensure safety, this is very tiring.
Guys worked really hard, good training.

May Safety Tip: Check all of your equipment before starting the job, make sure it is in good shape, serviceable and that all safety devices and guards are operational, if it is not safe, replace or repair.  A couple of seconds can prevent a lifetime of regret.

Have a safe day.  js

April Safety Tip

"Check your worksite": Before you start work, do a quick look around and ensure that nothing untoward has changed since you were last there. You never know who has been in your workstation or what conditions have changed since you left. A couple of seconds can save some grief. js

Garbage Bags

The picture doesn't do it justice, the Captain had his bag off (for safety), but the team members were under oxygen (Drager BG4 apparatus) with bags secured so they could not see.

Excellent training for low visibility (no-vis). This time we went into real smoke (no pictures obviously). Was a good trip. js

Basic Underground Mine Rescue Course

Just completed a course here at the Comaplex property outside of Rankin Inlet Nunavut Canada, conducting refresher training for the rest of their crew. Home Wednesday, heck of a way to spend Easter. Will post pictures when I have better service. js

Safety Tip of the Month

Learn from other people's mistakes, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.   js

Things are picking up

Hopefully I will be able to post some pictures of different events from my past experiences or current activities. Time is master of events. js

Partnership

This blog is to advertise and record my wife's and my partnership in business. With the Lord's help this will enable to maintain our lifestyle and serve Him. js