Everyday hazards are still hazards

[Capt. Olimar]

When I was working with my uncle at a coal site in West Virginia, they would do night work on the lifts at the office building and put them back in service during the day. One of them failed and threw a co-worker around pretty badly, leaving him with lasting issues. It drove home the point that you don't need a roof fall or truck collision to change a life. Even something small can do it. In the mining industry, we often focus on the obvious, big risks but should we also prioritize the less obvious ones, such as slips, trips and routine equipment failures?

 

[BanditSydonia]

It doesn't cost much to fix a bad step, tighten bolts, or tag out dodgy lifts. Compare that to the medical bills or comp claims when someone gets hurt. If you're looking for bang for buck in safety, start with the everyday stuff.

 

[Davetech]

Yh, smaller hazards often get overlooked, but they can be just as life altering as the big ones. Near misses and minor equipment failures are a good reminder to keep safety checks and protocols tight, even for routine tasks

 

[Capt. Olimar]

I've seen too many near misses turn into real problems because someone brushed off a loose step or a faulty latch. You both flagged how small issues can snowball, and that's exactly what I was trying to get at. We're conducting a walkthrough next week to log any issues that have been ignored for too long. Do either of you track near misses formally or just log them when they cross a threshold?

 

[champ bites]

Whether it is obvious or not it is recommended not just to ignore it. As this often happens more frequently and can still cause serious harm. Regular inspections, proper maintenance schedules and clear reporting of even minor hazards can prevent these situations.

 

[pecan_man]

When I was working with my uncle at a coal site in West Virginia, they would do night work on the lifts at the office building and put them back in service during the day. One of them failed and threw a co-worker around pretty badly, leaving him with lasting issues. It drove home the point that you don't need a roof fall or truck collision to change a life. Even something small can do it. In the mining industry, we often focus on the obvious, big risks but should we also prioritize the less obvious ones, such as slips, trips and routine equipment failures?

Totally agree. It's the little stuff that adds up. I've read studies showing that the financial costs from minor incidents like sprains, cuts, and equipment downtime can actually be greater over time than a single major catastrophe.
It's not just a moral obligation, it's a business one, too. Ignoring the small stuff is an expensive risk

 

[Capt. Olimar]

As we're preparing for our safety walkthrough this coming week, I've decided to use it as the starting point to log near misses formally and track patterns over time.

This leads to a practical question for you all. Do you have a simple system for recording near misses that crews actually stick with or is it usually tied into a company’s formal safety software?