A proactive approach: calling in the pros to assess workplace safety, De Beers adopted a new health and safety attitude.

• Author: Louiseize, Kelly
• Position: Employee Health

Asign posted at the entranceway to the De Beers Canada office in Sudbury warns people to thoroughly wipe their boots off before entering the building, since a wet floor could cause potential accidents. In the foyer one notices the emergency kit mounted on the wall along with strategically placed safety posters. The secretary phones to let the branch manager know a visitor has arrived, and while waiting takes the time to inform the guest of emergency protocol, where the emergency switch is, and if one hears the alarm to go immediately to the nearest exit.

It is no wonder De Beers Canada received an Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc. Certificate of Achievement Award last November for the prevention of occupational diseases and injury.

In fact, it was De Beers who first called the organization with potential air quality problems at their Sudbury plant, Dwayne Thomson, Sudbury's treatment plant supervisor for De Beers says. Inspectors and staff from the health clinic came in with devices to monitor the air and concluded there were no health concerns over air quality.

However, the assessment did not stop there. In their pursuit to create an optimum health and safety workplace, Thomson asked the ergonomist, Trevor Schell, to give some suggestions for their processing and office facility.

"They obviously saw that we were very proactive because even before he got his report written, we were bothering him for certain measurements because we wanted to implement one of his ideas immediately," Thomson says.

The idea was to install a three and-a-half foot high table for the Ro-Tap machines. Originally these sieve-like machines were put on the floor, and by sitting them on a table, it prevents any injuries that may stem from bending down repeatedly.

In addition, more rubber mats were placed on the concrete floor around the working tables.

Thomson says Schell also suggested purchasing tables so the sample bags, weighing approximately 15 kilograms each, could easily be transferred from one section of the weigh station to another with minimal lifting. Prior to adding the tables, the process was at times physically challenging for some of the employees. Chairs were also put in place along the weigh station.

Don Boucher, exploration manager for De Beers, says they are trying to mitigate any potential hazards within the office area. Schell went through the office to find some of the desks were too low, and floorboards or mats were suggested...