Individual Awards
Excellence
Muliawan Margadana
BHP Billiton, Jakarta Office, Indonesia
The May 2006 earthquake that devastated Jogjakarta, Indonesia, killed 6,000 people and injured more than 37,000. Having experienced the Asian earthquake and tsunami disaster in December 2004, Muliawan recognised the importance of planning and preparation and within six hours had assembled a medical response team and commenced planning and coordinating the logistics needed to support the team.
While other organisations established permanent facilities and waited for the victims to come to them, Muliawan’s team was mobile and went to the more remote villages that had not been covered by medial aid. As a result, over a two week the team treated 1,380 medical patients across 12 villages in five sub-districts – some 70 per cent more than the average number treated at centralized medical stations.
Throughout the process Muliawan showed considerable resourcefulness in sourcing supplies to support the team’s efforts. This ranged from trading medical supplies with an NGO for tents to co-opting a psychology lecturer and 2 student psychologists from a university to provide Post Traumatic Stress Disorder counselling to earthquake victims. Working remotely also allowed Muliawan to relay valuable information back to other teams and the Government on the status of remote communities.
Muliawan’s personal courage and leadership in this difficult time have been widely acknowledged from victims, doctors, volunteers to various NGOs and the Government.
Rossana Espinoza
Base Metals, Cerro Colorado, Chile
Rossana is Chief of Communications for Cerro Colorado and when a major earthquake occurred immediately adjacent to the Cerro Colorado operations on 13 June 2005 her communication skills were called into action to help maintain calm and control during the crisis.
The earthquake rendered the mine out of service for 17 days and total production was not fully recovered for eight months. The site was completely cut-off for almost a week and partially for 17 days. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake Rossana worked tirelessly, and with little regard to her personal needs, to help management maintain the right focus and for employees to communicate with their families. This work continued after the crisis had passed where she worked diligently with community groups and authorities to advance reconstruction efforts in the region in which we are involved.
Prior to the earthquake, Cerro Colorado had been chastised for being inwardly focused. As a result, in no small part to Rossana's work, we have been able to fundamentally change the opinion of the community and respective authorities about Cerro Colorado.
Terry Fletcher
Base Metals, Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico, USA
Through a 'hands on' approach and by directing the focus from production to safe production, Terry has achieved exemplary health, safety and environment outcomes at the Ambrosia Lake operation, the largest uranium ore processing facility in the US.
Terry has been employed at Ambrosia Lake for 34 years and was appointed General Manager in 1993. In 2005, he recently took on the role of President Rio Algom Mining LLC.
A feature of Terry's style is his ability to bring innovative thinking to often challenging and unique tasks, without compromising safety. In his 13 year tenure as General Manager the operation has had a stellar safety record: not a single Lost Time Incident has occurred and there has been continued regulatory compliance. During this time, Terry has overseen the demolition of the largest uranium pre processing mill in the US in just over 30 per cent of the projected time schedule, as well as the near-completed reclamation of 300 hectares of tailings.
Employee longevity is also the envy of the industry, with the average tenure for all employees being 20 years. Terry also serves on various State boards and commissions, whose emphasis is on mining and mine safety, as well as being very active in the local community.
Terry is currently focused on successful managing the closure of Ambrosia Lakes and the Lisbon, Utah uranium milling operation, with the former expected to be completed in late 2007 and the latter in early 2007.
Jannie Kleynsmith
Aluminium, Bayside Aluminium Smelter, South Africa
Jannie is a qualified millwright in the casthouse at Bayside Aluminium. Having shown a passion for the workings of the then permit to work system, Jannie was seconded to upgrade the Lock, Test and Tag system in order to align the organisation with the requirements of the Fatal Control Risk Protocol on Isolation.
Jannie focused on making the new system as visible and user-friendly as possible, without losing sight of the requirement of the Protocol. Key elements include developing a guide to work process flow that drew upon a puzzle to guide candidates through their training; a detailed video, which was translated into Zulu and handy pocket guide that people at floor level could use to refer to when undertaking the work. Permit to Work control points were established in each department and isolation line drawings prepared for each machine to indicate all points of isolation in plant. Standard labels were also created to ensure consistency throughout plant.
The concept was introduced to the organisation using the existing Bayside Goal Oriented Learning System (GOL). This system allowed the progress of candidate during their five-month preparation to be tracked. Final competency was assessed by an appointed panel of experts.
Eduardo Lara
Base Metals, Cerro Colorado, Chile
In the aftermath of the major earthquake occurred immediately adjacent to the Cerro Colorado operations on 13 June 2005, Eduardo as Mine HSEC Coordinator, voluntarily took on the task of organising the group of workers assisting the various initiatives to help assist the neighbouring towns that had been badly affected by the earthquake.
On their days off, Eduardo and his group of volunteers travelled to the worst-affected locations to assist with reconstruction work. In the early stages, the focus was directed to restoring road access, cleaning up damage and assembling emergency housing units for the families rendered homeless.
During this time Eduardo was able to call upon his good relations with various suppliers and community members to obtain much needed supplies and equipment, including heavy machinery needed to clear rubble and other debris. As a result, some 90 per cent of the rubble was removed and 120 houses in neighbouring communities were fitted out. During this time, Eduardo also cooperated with the local municipalities in determining how to distribute help among the worst affected.
In these trying times, Eduardo's commitment and resourcefulness was unwavering.
Tarique MacDonald-Razvi
Carbon Steel Materials, Western Australia Iron Ore
Tarique is the Manager Risk and Business Continuity for BHP Billiton Iron Ore in the Occupational Health and Safety Department.
Tarique has used his management skills, a talent for engaging people, passion and sheer ‘get-up and go’ attitude to raise an impression AUD76,000 for the local Telethon Speech and Hearing Centre that provides early intervention and therapy-based programs for hearing-impaired children.
Tarique raised the money over a 12-month period, by enlisting the support and commitment of more than 100 people recruited from over 120 schools, private and government organisations throughout Western Australia. He stimulated interest, engaged the support of these recruits to coordinate a range of innovative fund-raising activities and developed the processes and systems required to support their efforts. The result was a snow-balling of contagious enthusiasm and a very substantial gift which will be used to improve the quality of life of many dozens of hearing-impaired Western Australian children.
Of the monies raised, AUD 50,000 of the donations forms part of the BHPB Matched Giving Program with AUD 25,000 of the amount being eligible for a matched company contribution.
Aubrey Matuludi
Energy Coal, Ingwe Middelburg Mine, South Africa
The management of HIV/AIDS continues to be a critical global health issue and the prevalence of the disease in the African subcontinent is still increasing. As Human Resources Development Superintendent at Middelburg Mine, Aubrey has been instrumental in establishing the mine response to this deadly disease.
Through his efforts, Aubrey has secured tripartite support from unions, management and communities, as well as public endorsement. He has coordinated testing sessions, ensuring that the testing process meets the national standard, and organised incentive-based campaigns to encourage testing. Recognising the need to make it easy to be tested, Aubrey has also established satellite facilities in community villages that give choice as to where and when testing will occur.
The program covers all sections and shifts, and confidentiality - so important for trust and effective communication - is maintained at all times.
While we are a long way from beating the disease, Aubrey's efforts are making a difference. His integrated approach ensures the program goes beyond the mine gate to involve the wider community, and the high number of both negative and repeat tests in an indication that the education and awareness campaigns are starting to take effect.
Trefor Penno
Carbon Steel Materials, Western Australia Iron Ore
Graham Perkins
Carbon Steel Materials BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance, Peak Downs, Australia
In this role as Dragline Superintendent, Graham manages four shift supervisors and 52 operators in the operation of the six Peak Downs draglines on a 12-hour, four panel roster.
Frustrated with the extent of health and safety training being delivered to meet statutory requirements but which continually failed to excite and engage the employees, Graham set about changing the training so it would be more meaningful to his crew and the time invested in health and safety training would pay dividends in reducing incidents.
Graham started by reviewing safety incidents that had occurred in the Dragline Department. He then enlisted the support of occupational therapy specialists to work with his employees to identify programs which would meet their needs while also addressing the major areas of concern for the business.
As a result a suite of health and safety training programs have been developed under the banner "Exploring your Work Lifestyle", with the aim of changing the employees' behaviour through active participation, skill development and strengthening social supports so that the learning from each course are able to be reinforced both at home and at work.
The success of program has been reflected in the reduction to zero of sprains and stains in the Dragline area, the increased participation of employees in personal health improvement programs and the resultant interest in this program by other departments.
Barry Quiroz
Diamonds and Specialty Products, Minerals Exploration, East Asia, Beijing, China
Barry is the program leader for the North China porphyry exploration search program. Through his efforts to develop close relationships with the project's Joint Venture partners and contractors for the field programs, Barry has prepared the ground for reducing and eliminating key HSEC risks in China.
With the support of the China team members, Barry identified the key HSEC risks and then subsequently developed an action plan to reduce the risk to our activities to a manageable level. In the early stages of the work, he recognised it was critical to engage, influence and partner all the involved third parties.
His approach focused on opening communicated his concerns to JV partners, contractors and explaining to them the rationale and objectives. To follow up he designed and arranged training courses and field demonstrations of correct Standard Operating Procedures to be followed during field activities, and organised for these procedures to translated into Chinese.
Local partners were initially apprehensive but through a process of ongoing consultation, communication and demonstration, they are accepting the program and are currently implementing and following required Company HSEC practices.
Jim Trench, Petroleum
Petroleum Products, Marketing, Supply & Trading, Singapore
Jim's role is to procure bulk oils and industry products - including formed sulphur - for use at various BHP Billiton mines and to provide a full back-up service regarding the handling and transport of the products from an all-risks perspective. An important responsibility in this role is to define and develop common understanding around HSEC issues in managing the various products within the supply chain.
During the year Jim completed a review of the sulphur handling facilities at two former WMC locations - Southern Cross Fertilisers and Olympic Dam. As a result Jim has identified practical solutions to the handling of this dangerous product from load port to point of use and has laid the foundation for a standard practice that can be applied throughout the Company.
Sulphur is a dangerous product as plants can produce high levels of fugitive dust, which can cause problems when inhaled; safety can be compromised as the dusty atmosphere is at risk of explosion; and the environment is at risk to ground water contamination. The Company's sulphur purchases are also increasing as the Ravensthorpe nickel leaching plant moves to production.
