NEWS RELEASE: OMA member earns national safety honours — again

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Xstrata Copper Kidd Operations was presented with the John T. Ryan National Safety Trophy for metal mines for the 11th time. Other national winners were the Potash Corporation New Brunswick Division for select mines and Prairie Mines & Royalty Genesee Mine in Alberta in the coal category and both have been to this podium many times previously. The three winners of the John T. Ryan National Safety Trophies for 2012 have built up safety cultures at their operations which have lasted through decades of time and generations of workers.

“Winning this award again attests to our record of continually improving safety performance over many years,” said Tom Semadeni, General Manager for Xstrata Copper Kidd Operations. “It also speaks to our on-going commitment to achieving Zero Harm so that all of our employees and contractors can continue contributing to the well-being of their families and our community.”

This marks the eleventh occasion that Xstrata Copper Kidd Operations has captured this national award. Previous years as the country’s safest metal mine were 1991, 1985, 1984, 1982, 1981, 1980, 1978, 1977, 1976 and 1975. Kidd is also an 18-time winner of the Ontario regional trophy. Genesee Mine also is an 11 time winner in the coal category. Previous years it has earned the national coal trophy include 2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2002, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996 and 1995.
“In order to maintain the consistency in extraordinary safety performance that is demonstrated by all three winning operations, you need to work hard and continuously to establish a safety culture,” said Ryan Safety Trophy Committee Chairman Gord Winkel. “These winning mines in New Brunswick, Ontario and Alberta provide positive examples and encouragement for everyone in the industry to strive for higher safety levels.”

“All the employees at these mines deserve praise from the entire industry for their team work and for building strong safety cultures,” added Mr. Winkel. The year 2012 John T. Ryan Safety Trophies were presented earlier this week at the 115th annual general meeting of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum in Toronto, Ontario.

The Ryan Trophy Safety competition began in 1941 when the Mine Safety Appliances Company of Canada — now MSA Canada Inc. — donated a trophy to encourage the safe production of minerals as part of Canada’s wartime effort. Since then, the competition expanded to include a coal trophy in 1942 and a select mine trophy in 1970. These much-treasured trophies are symbols of the premier safety competition in mining.
The Ryan safety recognition program also offers regional awards.

Congratulations to OMA member Barrick Hemlo Mines. This company’s Williams gold mine earned the 2012 John T. Ryan Ontario regional safety trophy in the metal mine category. The Williams Mine had won this trophy previously in 1989, 2004 and 2005.

The Chairman of the John T. Ryan National Safety Trophies Committee is Gord Winkel, Industrial Professor in the Engineering Safety and Risk Management Program in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta. MSA is the sponsor of the Ryan Trophies competition.

Xstrata Copper Canada’s Kidd Operations in Timmins produce copper and zinc concentrates. The site employs approximately 1,400 people including contractors. This mine, which started operations through predecessor companies in 1965, is the deepest base metal mine in the world. In 2012, the operation experienced two modified work injuries during more than 2.5 million hours worked.