2014 Annual and CSR Report Switch to Spanish Language
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Health and Safety

A culture of zero harm is our first priority. In an industry such as ours, where the consequences of safety incidents can be serious, we must ensure that our systems and processes equip employees with the knowledge, skills, equipment and support needed to perform their jobs safely. We also work closely with contractors to ensure that they maintain or exceed the same high standards at our sites.

Within two years of start-up, operations are required to be certified to the OHSAS 18001 health and safety management standard. In Manitoba, external evaluators perform semi-annual audits to confirm ongoing compliance. We also follow the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) health and safety protocols at operating sites within and outside of Canada. Internal assessments against the TSM protocols are performed annually and third-party verification takes place once every three years.

In 2014, we implemented a new integrated management software system across the Company to support the process of recording, investigating and tracking all types of incidents and non-conformances. This system is now in use at all Hudbay locations.

The Positive Attitude Safety System (PASS) is another important program for driving performance. The system has been in use for many years in Manitoba and was implemented by our EPCM contractor at Constancia. PASS is based on facilitated discussions at all levels of the organization, to increase each person’s involvement in recognizing and managing workplace risks.

At operating sites, we maintain health stations for administering programs aimed at promoting and maintaining employee health and wellness. For example, in Manitoba, the programs include:

  • Fibrogenic dust screening conducted at least twice a year;
  • Hearing surveillance tested at least annually; and
  • Biological monitoring for workers who may be exposed to lead, cadmium or arsenic as part of their work. At the time of obtaining biological monitoring samples, employees are also counselled on proper respirator fit and use, personal hygiene, working and eating habits, smoking, alcohol and drug intake, and potential sources of metals exposures outside of the workplace.

Wellness programs have been launched at each location. They include lunch ’n learns, walking competitions, newsletter articles and targeted campaigns like the cold and flu campaign at the corporate office, where hand sanitizer, tissues and health tips were distributed to each employee. Your Health Matters Here is a place on the corporate intranet for employees to share information and experiences about health and wellness. The site invites them to propose corporate donations to charities and programs supporting health and wellness that reflect their personal interests.

2014 Performance

  • Across the Company, the lost time accident (LTA) frequency was 0.1 per 200,000 hours worked, compared to 0.4 in the previous year. Lost time accident severity, which reflects the number of days missed, was 4.7 versus 11 in 2013. These improvements were largely achieved through the outstanding performance of the Constancia project.
Lost time accident frequency
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Lost time accident severity
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  • Constancia maintained exceptional health and safety rigour throughout the entire development phase (see Constancia safety case study). The challenge will be to maintain the same level of safety awareness going forward.
  • Constancia ran a health and wellness campaign that included 56 activities focused on physical fitness, mental health, social events and promoting a culture of environmental respect and safety at work.
  • At Rosemont, a confirmation drilling program was completed with no significant safety incidents. Our health and safety team provided orientation and hazard awareness to all contractors on-site. We also maintained a strong safety and security presence during the program to ensure emergency protocols and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) standards were being met.
  • The new Reed mine was brought online with zero LTAs throughout construction, and Lalor had just two, with none in 2014. These are both underground mines that presented unique safety challenges. With both mines coming into full production and requiring more workers underground, we expanded our Manitoba mine rescue teams to ensure adequate protection in the event of an emergency. After 40 hours of training, 15 new mine rescue aces were certified at Flin Flon and Snow Lake.
  • The Manitoba Business Unit registered a 1.0 LTA frequency in 2014. We were not satisfied with this LTA performance and will place renewed emphasis on PASS implementation in every part of the operations in 2015. With the company-wide information management system installation now complete and all supervisors trained in its use, we plan to increase rigour around root cause investigations for all incidents.
  • The Manitoba zinc plant recorded zero LTAs for the second straight year and had only one restricted work case in 2014.
  • The 777 mine was shut down for eight days due to an equipment malfunction that saw the ore conveyance become lodged in the mine’s main production shaft. Teams from 777 and Lalor worked closely with the provincial mines branch to safely complete complex repairs within the mine shaft. The internal investigation of this incident resulted in new procedures to prevent any future occurrences, as well as the design of novel load-sensing technology in the headframe that will both reduce the risk of reoccurrence and provide additional operational benefits. We are now investigating installing this technology at our Lalor mine as well.