Dumas Contracting Ltd.: guided by principle.

• Author: Ulrichsen, Heidi
• Position: TOP PLACES TO WORK - Company overview

In the sometimes-dangerous business of mine development, Dan Dumas is determined to make sure his employees go home to their loved ones unscathed at the end of the day.

The president and CEO of Dumas Contracting, based out of Timmins, said safety is the most important thing in his business.

"Every incident report, whether it's about a cut, bruise or something in your eye, comes across my desk. I take it all seriously," he said.

"Our health and safety department is not mandated by profitability. They are mandated by making sure we provide a safe workplace for our employees. If they feel a specific workplace is unsafe, they have the authorization to shut the project down. I made it that way."

The company has several guiding principles when it comes to worker health and safety, including the idea that employees should identify and correct all unsafe working conditions, compliance with legislative requirement and client standards and establishing clear roles and responsibilities.

It's not surprising that Dumas takes the responsibility of keeping workers safe so personally. After all, his family has built Dumas Contracting from the ground up.

His father, Hubert Dumas, started the business in 1979. When Dan Dumas and his brother, Marc took over the company in 1994, they had just five employees, including themselves. Back then, the company did less than $500,000 in business each year, and had no central office location.

"We really didn't have much to speak of other than ourselves," he said. "Those days were fun, actually, because we got to work underground. We were part of the crews. We worked with our guys."

Fast forward to 2007, when high metal prices have led to unprecedented good times for all mining supply and service companies.

Dumas Contracting now employs 1,000 people and earns in excess of $150 million each year. The company has a 10,000-square foot main office and a 20,000 square foot mechanical and maintenance warehouse at two separate locations in Timmins.

The company does contract work for mines across northeastern Ontario and Northern Quebec, including Xstrata, CVRD Inco, Agnico Eagle, Mines Aurizon, Goldcorp, Hudbay Minerals, Crowflight Minerals and Liberty Mines...