The balance between safety and production has long been a point of contention within the mining industry. Historically, the pressure to meet production targets often created tension between the need to maximise output and the responsibility to ensure safe operations. Many within the industry can recount instances where safety procedures were bypassed or rushed in the name of efficiency, only for these short-term gains to lead to longer-term setbacks, such as equipment breakdowns, downtime, or accidents.
However, there has been a recent shift towards a more integrated approach: safe production. Companies are now realising that by prioritising safety, they are better positioned to maintain steady, uninterrupted operations.
Achieving this balance is easier said than done. Those on the ground have to consider how to keep safety at the forefront while also hitting production targets. Managers have to question how to ensure safety protocols are followed consistently without stifling productivity.
Safety vs production challenges
In light of the safety vs production debate, we asked Mipac’s Solutions Manager Dominic Stoll for his thoughts on the challenges of balancing safety vs production, the shift to safety and production and the role technology plays in the balance:
Throughout my 18+ year career, I’ve heard the debate of safety vs production play out. Some examples I’ve heard include:
- When I was commissioning a copper smelter in Zambia, the manager would tell the production team to not increase throughput until we validated that things were safe. However, the control room operators increased tonnes anyway thinking this is what he ‘really’ meant, only for the manager to direct the control room operator to reduce tonnes
- During a mill reline at a copper concentrator in Australia, the Manager stopped all work after an incident and instructed all work crews to review and update their Job Safety and Environment Analysis (JSEAs) before restarting work. All but one team went back to work without updating their JSEAs because they thought this was what he ‘really’ meant, only for the Manager to have to stop all work again
- During a ramp-up of a magnetite plant in Australia, an operator refused to do a production task because he claimed it was unsafe but then couldn’t describe what was unsafe about the task
A shift to safety and production
I’m no safety expert, I know just enough to be dangerous – pardon the pun, but my understanding is that the debate has continued and the current position has thankfully shifted from “safety vs production” to “safety AND production” or “safe production”.
Some examples of excellence that I’ve observed in my travels include:
- Randomly assigning site safety inspections at the beginning of each day based on the work planned that day
- Monitoring the number of interventions, not just the number of inspections to balance quality with quantity
- Focusing on the routine, repeated critical controls that prevent the leading causes of incidents
- A plant walkthrough to observe critical controls and ensure the learnings of past pain have been put into practice
- Specific time every fortnight dedicated to housekeeping where office and management staff are expected to go into the plant and help maintain a standard of cleanliness
Some of the challenges that exist with the above methods are that they’re usually assigned on a whiteboard or Excel and recorded on a slip of paper that needs to be entered into a digital system. This creates friction in a few ways:
- Low visibility, transparency and accountability to know whether a critical control was performed or not until it is too late (usually during an incident investigation)
- Manually duplicating data entry from paper to a digital solution is time-consuming, can introduce human error and may delay the introduction of controls to prevent a production and/or safety incident
- The procedure and/or standard for completing a task is disconnected from the system used to manage the task completion
How technology helps safety and production
- Are your critical production and safety controls documented and stored digitally?
- Are your critical production and safety controls scheduled digitally?
- Are your critical production and safety controls entered digitally the first time?
- Are your critical production and safety scheduling and digital databases linked?
Is the answer to any of the above no? Don’t worry, Mipac has the solution.
Introducing TCard: A digital solution for safe production
Designed specifically for the mining and minerals processing industry, TCard bridges the gap between safety and production by offering a digital shift-focused task-tracking system. Whether it’s verifying critical controls are in place and effective, managing routine safety inspections, coordinating shift handovers, or ensuring that key production tasks are completed on time and to standard, TCard provides an efficient way to monitor every aspect of your operation.
TCard ensures that your team has full visibility of what’s been done, what’s pending, and what needs immediate attention—both from a safety and a production standpoint. This improves accountability and also reduces the risk of critical tasks being missed, preventing incidents before they occur.
By implementing TCard, mining companies can:
- Enhance safety: prioritise safety and reduce the risk of incidents
- Improve efficiency: streamline workflows and optimise resource allocation
- Increase productivity: maximise output while maintaining high safety standards
- Boost compliance: adhere to regulatory requirements
Are you ready to improve safety and increase production at your mining organisation? Contact Mipac’s experts today to learn more about TCard and how it can help you achieve your safety and production goals.
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