Cementation Canada

Main mine┬áSafety is at the top of Cementation CanadaÔÇÖs agenda, and it has helped deliver greater productivity and efficiency as well, Roy Slack tells Ruari McCallion. There was a time when underground mining was rightly regarded as one of the most dangerous activities on Earth. When news comes in of a cave-in or underground explosion from some or other of the worldÔÇÖs emerging economies, it may seem that little has changed. In fact, a great deal has changedÔÇöand for the better.ÔÇ£I went to the sinking of a shaft 25 years ago, and an old-timer told me they expected to lose someone every 1,000 feet,ÔÇØ says Roy Slack, president of Cementation Canada, whose specialty is constructing underground minesÔÇösinking shafts, driving access and building the infrastructure. ÔÇ£When we built Nickel Rim, near Sudbury in Northern Ontario, we sank 3,400 meters [11,200 feet] in two shafts, one 1,760 meters and the other 1,640. We had no fatalities and no lost-time injuries.ÔÇØ ThatÔÇÖs a pretty impressive statistic on two counts: when someone is killed or seriously injured, then work stops; if work stops, then so do revenues. Poor safety practices donÔÇÖt save money; they lose it. A good safety record helps create a positive spiral. ÔÇ£We want to attract and retain the best people, and our safety record will always be something potential employees consider.ÔÇØCementation Canada was established in 1998. Its British parent company was interested in establishing a foothold in Canada and approached Slack, who was at that time a consultant. He undertook a study on the possibility of acquiring an existing organization, but Cementation asked him to set the group up from scratch. Cementation Canada was bought in 2004 by Murray & Roberts, South AfricaÔÇÖs leading construction and engineering group, and the group now works across North America. Headquartered in North Bay, Ontario, and with a representative office in Salt Lake City, Utah, it employs around 1,400 people and had revenues in the region of $255 million in 2007. ÔÇ£We expect to generate about the same level of revenues this year,ÔÇØ says Slack. ÔÇ£In Canada, we operate coast to coast, from New Brunswick in the east to British Columbia, and north to the Arctic. In the US, weÔÇÖre sinking a shaft at Resolution Mine, near Phoenix, Arizona. ItÔÇÖs an old mining area that was quiet for a while but its ownersÔÇöRio Tinto and BHPÔÇöare now investing. WeÔÇÖre also working in Utah and Nevada.ÔÇØ All of CementationÔÇÖs operations are in challenging areas, whether the extreme environment of the Arctic or the eastern Rocky Mountain region. ÔÇ£When an owner brings a contractor in to the mine, itÔÇÖs usually for one of two reasons,ÔÇØ says Slack. ÔÇ£It needs some specialty work, or itÔÇÖs in a hard area. Specialty work is more hazardous, which is why we have such a focus on safety. We put in systems that recognize and deal with those hazards. We take the time to do things properly, which saves time, and therefore our clientsÔÇÖ money. WeÔÇÖre an underground hard rock specialist, working for clients in a number of commoditiesÔÇöDiavik, the diamond mine, is one of our clients. We also work in gold, silver, copper, zinc, potash and so on.ÔÇØCementation has taken a few leaves out of the best books in manufacturing. At Nickel Rim, for example, it worked very closely with the mine owners to achieve its safety culture. Anyone, from supervisors all the way to the operators at the face, has not only the right but the obligation to call a halt to work if they see something dangerous and correct it. Students of lean manufacturing will recognize that tool as andon, and itÔÇÖs supported and encouraged from the very top.ÔÇ£Management will always support someone who takes action on safety grounds; we never condemn,ÔÇØ he says. ÔÇ£Our people know they donÔÇÖt have just the right to stop operations; they have the obligation. If they donÔÇÖt stop it and fix it and their partner or co-worker is killed or injured, itÔÇÖs on their head.ÔÇØ Mining companies are a tough, no-nonsense breed, so it must have been difficult to get them on board. ÔÇ£We get the commitment from the start. People who work on this recognize that safe operations are productive operations. We take the time to make sure the workplace is properly organized, that it is neat and that tools and equipment are in their place.ÔÇØ This sounds a lot like 5S or 6S. The proof that it works can be found at the Nickel Rim mine, which hasnÔÇÖt had a lost-time injury in four years. Maximizing productivity is great, but after a few years when the mining industry was booming, the current economic climate has to have had an impact. ÔÇ£The last few years have been very busy, but I expect to see some downturn from the highs of the last year or so after recent events,ÔÇØ says Slack. Mining is a capital-intensive activity. The old image of the miner with his pick, shovel and mule doesnÔÇÖt reflect todayÔÇÖs industry. ÔÇ£The skill level is very high; someone operating a million-dollar piece of equipment will have a technical background and the right attitude when it comes to their equipment. Maintenance is a high-tech activity also; if you look after equipment, it will make money. Drive it into the ground, and it will lose money.ÔÇØ Cementation intends to make the most of the positive side of any slowdown in its activities. ÔÇ£We hire experienced people, and we also invest in training. We see that as a benefit, which helps us to attract the best. We work hard at keeping our employees happy, and IÔÇÖm delighted to say we have been recognized by the Financial Post as one of the top 10 employers in Canada, out of all industries, not just mining. WeÔÇÖre very proud of that; itÔÇÖs a great honor for us.ÔÇØ And itÔÇÖs a reflection of Cementation CanadaÔÇÖs commitment to safety, as well as profitability.┬á