Emergency Preparedness/Mine Rescue Response Alex Gryska General Manager
Ontario Mine Rescue Canada
Emergency Preparedness/Mine Rescue Response
How We Compare
Population: 29.8 million Area: 1.28 million km2
Population: Area: km2
13 million 0.9 million
Mining is an Important Economic Driver Commodity
Peru
Ontario
Copper
Nickel
Silver
Gold
Gold
Copper
Zinc
Platinum Group Diamonds
Value (2013)
$27 billion USD
$9.8 billion CAD
Safety In Ontario Mining in Ontario is safer than forestry, transportation, agriculture and healthcare: (LTI rate 1.26/100 FTE Workers )
Mine Rescue Responses Year
Response
Fires
Persons Saved
2013
20
7
8
2012
21
15
5
2011
10
4
0
2010
20
6
4
2009
25
4
2
Ontario Mine Rescue History • 1928 Hollinger fire killed 39 workers. • Event of this magnitude “will never to be repeated”. • Mandatory Inquests. • Numerous commissions and Inquiries. • Learning from all incidents helps shape OMR.
7 Rules Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Response Rule #1 – Regulatory Compliance Rule #2 – Practice Prevention First Rule #3 – Assessing Risk Rule #4 – Establishing Emergency Response Plans Rule #5 – Ensure Sustainable Emergency Response Rule #6 – Evaluation and Continuous Improvement Rule #7 – Never Make Things Worse
Rule #1 – Regulatory Compliance • Generally, Laws are minimum standards • Require: ü Establish mine rescue stations ü Equip and man stations ü Train volunteers ü Employers must supply trainees who are fit to perform arduous work
Rule #2 - Practice Prevention First
• Do everything possible to eliminate the need for emergency response • Be cautious of complacency • Learn from others
Rule #3 - Assess Risks • Identify all fire and non-fire risks to workers and to operations • Identify self-rescue options • If possible, escape from the mine • If not, establish safe havens • Clearly marked and maintained escape routes
Risk Registry
Sustained Refuge Portable
Permanent
Refuge Station Requirements Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø
Fire-rated and non combustible materials Adequate in size to accommodate all anticipated workers Capable of being sealed Independent air supply Communication system and other considerations
Fire Response • Identify sources of fire • Equipment used to fight fires • Equipment required to protect first responders
Non-Fire Response • Identify potential incidents that require response • Cave-in, Subsidence, rock burst etc. • Explosion (methane, sulphide dust, etc.) • Vehicle entrapment • Rescue from heights
Special Equipment ยง Identify special rescue equipment (Jaws of Life, lifting bags, rock breakers, rope rescue, HAZMAT, etc.)
Training Is Critical Standards Ø Equipment Ø Procedures Ø Skill development Ø Competency evaluation Ø Record keeping
Rule #4 - Establish and Maintain Emergency Response Plans • • • • •
Must be in writing Tested regularly Updated as necessary Training for responders Incident command training
Rule #5 - Ensure Sustainable Emergency Response • Select proper equipment • Strategic location of rescue stations and substations • Establish mutual aid agreements with neighbouring resources where necessary • “Murphy’s Law” Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong at the most inopportune time”.
Decentralized Delivery
Rule #6 - Regular Evaluation and Continuous Improvement
• Regular evaluation of response plan – Audits • Identify potential shortcomings • Typically there is no back up to mine rescue response
Rule #7 - Never Make Things Worse • Making good decisions and exercise good judgement • Mining and the Media: • Media tends to focus on negative aspects of mining which tarnishes our image
Competitions Ø Valuable learning and evaluation tool Ø Critical elements: ü Realistic ü Evaluate against competency standards ü Challenging ü Debriefing 10th International Mines Rescue Competition IMRC Canada 2016 August 22-29, 2016 (http://www.imrc2016.ca)
Information Sharing • Information sharing via the International Community • 7th IMRB Conference Hannover, Germany September 5 - 10, 2015 www.imrb2015.de • International Mines Rescue Body Website: www.minerescue.org
"The most important thing to come out of a mine is the miner." FrĂŠdĂŠric Le Play (1806-1882) French sociologist and inspector general of mines of France
Gracias!
Contact: alexgryska@workplacesafetynorth.ca workplacesafetynorth.ca/minerescue
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