Our Courage to Care program, which launched in 2022 focuses our attention on three pillars: to Never Compromise on Safety, to Look Out for One Another and to Stop Work if it’s Not Safe. In 2022, as a result of our relentless focus on health and safety and the introduction of the Courage to Care program, New Afton achieved a 61% reduction in the Total Reportable Injury Frequency Rate.
Aligned with the Courage to Care Program, our safety culture of zero harm plays an undeniable role in our results. New Afton team members take pride and ownership in each other’s safety, as is evidenced by the common conversation around Brother’s / Sister’s Keepers – in that we all bear responsibility for getting one another home safely at the end of the day. The New Afton team does this consistently by always looking out for one another, identifying hazards, implementing controls, setting up our cross shift and focusing on everyone getting home safe today.
Our Mine Rescue team extends our culture of zero harm and Courage to Care spirit beyond our mine site boundary by providing wildfire support and equipment to our neighbors when situations requiring our help arise. This spring our emergency response group met with the Skeetchestn Emergency Program Coordinator and planned future joint training and support between our Fire and Mine Rescue team and a newly formed Initial Fire Attack Crew with the Skeetchestn Resource Corp. Another highlight is a new mutual aid agreement with Kamloops Fire and Rescue which provides support for the next 5 years.
In recognition of our New Afton team’s outstanding safety record and for achieving the lowest reportable injury rate among metal mines in the BC/Yukon region, for 2022 we were awarded the John T. Ryan Regional Metal Trophy by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) – in Safety Manager Justin Clark’s words, “The proverbial Stanley Cup of safety awards.” Recently we were also awarded the BC Ministry of Mines Large Underground Mines Safety Award for large operations with the lowest injury-frequency rate during the calendar year. Congrats to the entire New Afton team on this tremendous accomplishment!
