There are more than 6,500 people employed at Amman and its subsidiaries, 64% of whom work and reside on site. Their safety is of paramount importance to us. Mines can be dangerous places, but together we work to mitigate the risks involved. Our personnel go through rigorous training, our machinery is frequently tested and the entire mine is often shut down for complete inspection.
As well as these routine checks, we are also constantly thinking of ways to improve our way of working – making it safer and more efficient. We have recently developed two initiatives which do exactly that.
The Electric High Voltage team from the Mine Maintenance department has come up with the idea of installing red-zone LEDs around shovels. This design will help to minimise the risk of accidents in the shovel loading area. The red LEDs that illuminate the back, right- and left-hand side of the shovel will indicate the correct distance to maintain between the shovel and other heavy equipment, such as bulldozers and haul trucks. Gradually, this innovation will be rolled out across every shovel at Batu Hijau.
The LOTO (lock-out, tag-out) box has been created to remind employees and business partners to fully switch off their machines. Even with the most rigorous checklist in place, human error can occur. The LOTO – which can be found when entering the Mining and Mine Maintenance area – is a measure to protect against absent-mindedness. With LOTO, you can be assured the machine or device has been turned off properly. This prevents the sudden release of stored energy which can cause injury, or damage to the tool.
We will continue to push forward with new methods and maverick concepts to keep everything ticking over in the safest way possible.
