Safety Education for Future Mining

Sammanfattning: The work environment in mines have changed during the last decades. Compared to when birds were used to examine the air quality in coal mines, today’s mines strive for a zero-entry production. Which means that the persons who works at the mining company are stationed over ground - instead of under it. With digitalization and automation, companies like Boliden aim to increase a safer work environment. However, zero-entry mines are still in the future, and until future notice, existing risks and hazards need to be managed. This master thesis at Luleå University of Technology in collaboration with the Crusher and Ore Handling System (G55) department at Boliden Aitik. This master thesis aims to improve work conditions and contribute to a safer work environment by increasing awareness and knowledge regarding risks and routines at the G55 department. To accomplish this, I have during this master thesis developed an educational tool as a supplement to the current safety educations provided by SSG. This master thesis focus on providing workers with information with safety educations and motivates by lack of knowledge as a cause of accidents. Through visits, interviews and observations have been conducted to map current and future state at the G55 department and within Boliden as a company. In total ten interviews have been performed as well as several feedback occasions. Trough feedback, adjustments have been done which are beneficial in the iterative working process due its ability to go back and adjust. The current state mapping has been compared to theories in which a theoretical framework has been used as a foundation when– analyzing the current state and developing the material. Included topics in the literature gather are “Health and Safety” and “Understand and Develop training material”. These have been the foundation when discussing improvement areas and when taking decisions when I developed the education material. Since the education material is a supplement to already existing safety educations provided by SSG, training methods have been investigated. The resulting education material delivered to the G55 department resulted in a lecture based presentation material in the software PowerPoint, as well as a pamphlet with summarized information from the lecture material. The lecture training method was chosen due to its advantage of containing personal contact between new workers and existing staff. This makes the introduction material complement current safety education which are performed as a data-based training method and misses personal contact. Delivered material contains information that is consider important for new workers to know before starting their employment. Further recommendations when implementing this material are to translate it to English to reach non-Swedish-speaking persons entering the department as well as keep developing the material. The discussion question if additional educations are the most efficient way to manage and correct risks depending on the classifications of existing risks. But concludes that it is an easily tool for short-term control. According to me, the mapping of the organization should be used to eliminate or separate current risks and hazards for a sustainable solution long-term. Today, I believe that an education supplement is necessary. And hopefully, the G55 department will keep develop their organization, eliminate current risks and long-term achieve a zero-accident vision.