According to the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy, more and more resource companies are focusing on risk management as projects progress from mineral discoveries to mine developments.
Chief executive Jason Kuchel said the changing nature of the professional skills required in the resources sector had implications for the speed of pending resources developments and, in the longer term, the education and training system.
Speaking ahead of a major safety conference in South Australia in August – Growing Safely – Kuchel said senior management of resource companies were now taking a broader perspective to project risk.
“World-class occupational health and safety regimes are absolutely fundamental to protecting the welfare of our employees and are a vital part of the planning for new developments,” he said.
“However, as organisations grow they are also examining the overall risk profile of projects in terms of environmental, community, financial and safety factors.
“Company decision-makers must have an assessment of the overall risk profile of projects before investing many millions of dollars in long-term developments. These assessments are important in the design of quality assurance programs and the regimes necessary to comply with government regulations.”
Kuchel said the situation was adding another element to the current shortage of highly skilled professionals in the industry and should be factored into future planning by educators and trainers in this area.
Managing director of Wilson People Management Ben Wilson said the resources and construction sector would need “hundreds of safety and risk professionals over the next five years across Australia to fuel this mega cycle”.
“We are sourcing across the globe and competing with similar or larger projects in other regions,” he said.
According to Wilson, the resources and construction sectors are beginning to address the problem by implementing several initiatives that have helped alleviate some of the burden.
“These include offering existing employees a career path in occupational health and safety, graduate and mentor programs, sponsorship of international professionals, promoting the industry as a global career in tertiary and government institutions, and mentoring safety graduates with experienced safety and risk contractors,” he said.
Wilson will address the upcoming Growing Safely – Managing HSE&C Growth in Resources, Construction & Engineering conference being held at the AAMI Stadium in Adelaide on August 7.
The one-day conference will cover a broad range of safety issues including:
Other speakers include senior representatives from Oxiana, BHP Billiton, Santos, Fluor, Parsons Brinckerhoff SA, HWE Mining, Thiess, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Safework SA, WorkCover SA, Minerals Council of Australia, Wilson People Management, Flinders University, Boylan Simpson & Simpson, Sparke Helmore Lawyers, and United Group Resources.
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