Safety Away From Work -- By Steve Eckert , TMRA Treasurer

Safety Away From Work
By Steve Eckert , TMRA Treasurer

Any employee of a mining company is very aware of safety. It starts from the day we are hired, with our New Miner Training, and continues throughout our mining career. Every company has some sort of Safety Manager or Safety Director, with multiple programs, training techniques and guidelines that are implemented to keep safety in the forefront of what we do every day. No mining company ever wants to see an employee, vendor, visitor or anyone else get hurt on their mine site.

What I would like to touch on today is safety away from work. Driving to and from work everyday is likely more dangerous (depending on where you live, traffic, posted speed limits, etc.), than the job you do at the mine. Let’s think about changing a light bulb on a ceiling fan at your house. Have you ever reached for a chair; because it was there, rather than getting a step stool or short ladder? Or witnessed your spouse or child doing it, but never considered the risk that they were taking? Have you cut the grass in flip flops? Ran the weed eater while wearing shorts and no safety glasses? Used a screw driver like a chisel or prybar because it was there? These and many other examples happen every day in our homes, not just by us, but our other family members, each one introducing a risk, that could turn into a serious injury.

So, the next time you are about to do a task, whether for the first time or one-hundredth, think it over and do it the safe way. Just another way to protect you and your family.

Steve Eckert, P.E.
Senior Area Manager
Capitol Aggregates, Inc.
and TMRA Treasurer