The humble, but ever-present sandwich board appears at every Major Drilling job site. It shows symbols of critical, life-threatening risks so workers can take steps to control their exposure to risks at the job site.
At a remote location in Nevada, USA, dust settles as Dennis Moye parks a company truck near a newly-built drill platform. Beneath the structure is untold gold production potential for a valued client. It will soon be revealed by the in-transit RC exploration drill making its way across the desert.
From the bed of the truck, Moye unfolds a two-by-three-foot sandwich board and places it prominently at the approach to the site. It’s easy to see the bright yellow safety symbols emblazoned on each side. He knows this sign will help every driller embrace safety, one good choice at a time.
Moye is a USA Field Safety Manager. Armed with signage, training and operational support, he knows that preventing critical risks is in his control. Placing sandwich boards with safety symbols is a sight repeated across the globe as Major Drilling safety and operations leaders ensure critical risks are managed at every drill location. The boards are a visible step in a series of education and support activities that begin on first day of training. These efforts help more than 3,500 employees at 20 branches on 5 continents understand how safety is a critical part of operating Major Drilling’s fleet of more than 600 drills.
How Critical Risk Management Began
Together, Major Drilling’s three safety programs—TAKE 5, 10 Lifesaving Rules and CRM, galvanize a culture of safety. The CRM program rolled out in early 2020, between Major Drilling’s 40th anniversary and the ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic landscape. The long-running TAKE 5 program focuses on steps to recognize risk and adjust behavior. The 10 Lifesaving Rules are solid daily guidelines. The flagship component of all the combined programs is the Critical Risk Management, designed to improve all areas of operations and employee well-being.
“CRM is like a capstone course on advanced risk management,” Ben Graham, Major Drilling VP of HR & Safety, said. “It augments our critically important risk assessment and basic lifesaving rules by addressing risks with high stakes—those that can take a life.”
Putting Safety to Work
In Major Drilling’s CRM program, every critical risk is identified on site with a set list of critical controls. How it works:
- Workers can see the risks readily displayed on sandwich boards on the premises.
- The CRM program enacts a system to track multiple points of control.
- When an employee encounters a critical risk during their shift, they must stop and complete the corresponding critical control checklist.
- These controls teach and require a person to complete the task safely.
Since implementing CRM, Major Drilling receives thousands of safety management documents each month throughout its global branches. Each branch sets goals to keep injury rates low and support workers to be ready to return to their loved ones after their shift. Dozens of Major Drilling Health, Safety and Environment experts champion the CRM program through regular training and reporting.
“We are seeing patterns of successful safety improvements since starting CRM,” Yamell Delgado, Major Drilling’s Global Safety Administration Assistant, said. She reviews statements from all areas of operations and tracks the progress.
Yamell Delgado, Global Safety Administrative Assistant
Dillon Becker (left), Chris Aldrich and Dennis Moye (right) discuss critical risks at a drilling project in Nevada, USA.
Delgado reports that people in the field are the main drivers of the CRM program. This includes HSEC managers like Dennis Moye, coordinators and operations leaders who help keep safety at the forefront. “They are making strides in helping our teams reduce risks and enforce critical controls with every decision they make,” Delgado said.
In 2022, social media messages are rolling out to highlight Major Drilling’s CRM efforts and key staff who implement the program.
Safety for Today and the Future
Safety professionals like Dennis Moye can attest to the power within the CRM program to enact critical controls. “CRM is a very, very good program,” he said. “I tell the guys that we’ve identified tasks where that the risks are such that it’s worth taking another look.”
He is in the unique position of touching the life of every new hire or new person on site. “To me, the most important thing I do in the field is to not only help identify hazards or risks and help them understand what truly the risk is. The CRM program is a big part of getting that message across,” he said.
Clients, employees and anyone interested in Major Drilling safety programs can view video explanations about how programs are implemented on site. Together, these messages help reduce the risks and keep teams safe every day.
With safety first, every Major Drilling employee contributes to a company that is on a path of sustainability. “As we align to create mutual and lasting benefits, we build long-term success for every member of our workforce,” Graham, the VP of HR and Safety, said.
“Health and safety is at the heart of our business culture, and the well-being of our employees is our top priority and central to our long-term business resilience. We have robust standards, processes, training and tools embedded across our business to protect the health and safety of our people, and we are constantly seeking ways to reduce potential risks.”
Statement from Major Drilling’s ESG Policy
Through Major Drilling’s ongoing path of safety in action, the CRM program continues to be a prominent part of preventing common hazards and risks encountered in daily business tasks. Learn more about Major Drilling’s Culture of Safety in Action here.
Follow Major Drilling on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to receive the latest company news and updates. Established in 1980, and publicly traded as Toronto Stock Exchange ticket symbol TSX: MDI, Major Drilling is the preferred specialized drilling contractor for all tiers in the mining industry. The company operates on five continents as the world leader in specialized drilling using mining industry ESG principles to guide sustainability. The leading mining supplier and drilling contractor for specialized contracts, Major Drilling is a trusted mining partner through industry upturns and ongoing exploration projects. Learn more about how to make your next drilling project safe and successful with Major Drilling.
