Update on Phase 3 IRS Initiative 2014 Mining Conference

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Merry Owens
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1 Update on Phase 3 IRS Initiative 2014 Mining Conference

2 History of the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) The Ham Commission (1976) first identified the concept of the IRS. The language and recommendations from the Ham Commission report helped shaped the Occupational Health and Safety Act, specifically, the duties of: Employers Supervisors Workers The Commission also introduced the concept of the Joint Health and Safety Committee as one of the checks and balances to the IRS. 2

The language and recommendations from the Ham Commission report helped shaped the Occupational Health and

3 History of IRS Initiatives in Ontario In 1999, the MOL commissioned a study into the IRS in Ontario mines. External Consultants, Ian M. Plummer, Peter W. Strahlendorf and Michael G. Holliday were hired to create an audit tool to measure the IRS. An IRS Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from the MOL, MASHA, mining operations, and labour oversaw the development of the audit tool. The end result of the consultants work was a detailed survey on how to measure how well the IRS is functioning in a workplace. 3

Holliday were hired to create an audit tool to measure the IRS.

4 Phase One Phase Underground Operations Mine Contractors Surface Mines Total Participants ,444 (UG participants only) After the release of the IRS audit tool, the mining industry agreed to audit all UG operations within 18 months (Phase 1). At the end of Phase 1, MASHA produced a final report: The Internal Responsibility System Audit: Provincial Summary Report. The summary report only included data from underground operations. The report was delivered to the Ontario Minister of Labour, The Honourable Brad Clark, MPP in October

At the end of Phase 1, MASHA produced a final report: The Internal Responsibility System Audit: Provincial Summary Report.

5 Conclusions of Provincial Summary Report Phase Major Findings of the Provincial Summary Report included: Improvements to the IRS can only happen at the workplace level. Operations must examine their own survey results to identify areas of improvement. There appears to be a perception among worker respondents that senior management has not demonstrated a commitment to safety or the IRS. 5

Operations must examine their own survey results to identify areas of improvement.

6 Conclusions of Provincial Summary Report Phase Cont d The role of JHSCs may not be clearly understood. The role of directors and senior executives in the IRS may not be clearly understood. The model of the IRS is not always understood by all parties, both direct and indirect contributors to the system. In some cases wording of survey questions may have confused the participants understanding of the IRS and their understanding of the survey. 6

The model of the IRS is not always understood by all parties, both direct and indirect contributors to the system.

7 Participants Phase Phase Phase 2 Changes to Survey Underground Operations Mine Contractors Surface Mines Total Participants ,444 (UG participants only) ,900 (UG participants = 4,092) In between Phase 1 and Phase 2 the survey tool was shortened. These changes were based on feedback from the mining industry. An external consultant was hired to ensure the company s overall results from Phase 2 would be directly comparable to Phase 1 results. 7

Phase 2 the survey tool was shortened. These changes were based on feedback from the mining industry.

8 Conclusions of Phase 2 IRS Initiative Overall, respondents had a better grasp of the IRS concept since Phase 1 There are correlations between lower lost-time injury frequencies and higher worker, front-line supervisor and Joint Health and Safety Committee scores. Scores showed that while the understanding of the IRS increased, respondents found it difficult to determine if it was working at their workplace (12.5% replied don t know ). A lack of participation at the CEO and director level made it difficult to assess understanding of IRS and commitment to safety. 8

Scores showed that while the understanding of the IRS increased, respondents found it difficult to determine if it was working at their

9 Participants Phase Phase Phase IRS Initiative Phase 3 Underground Operations Mine Contractors Surface Mine Total Participants ,444 (UG only) ,900, (UG participants = 4,092) 11* 4 0 5,946 (UG participants = 5,078) In 2013, members of the Ontario Mining Association (OMA) contacted WSN to request a follow-up to the 2004 round of surveys. *18 mine sites 9

(UG participants = 4,092) 11* 4 0 5,946 (UG participants = 5,078) In 2013, members of the Ontario

10 Phase 3 Survey Tool Phase 3 survey tool was shortened from the Phase 2 survey in It was agreed that the questionnaire would consist of Question 1a and 1b of the original survey. This would allow companies to measure changes in the perception of the IRS at their operations since the end of Phase 2. 10

It was agreed that the questionnaire would consist of Question 1a and 1b of

11 Phase 3 WSN s Role WSN s role in Phase 3 was to: Maintain the survey tool. Provide IRS site facilitators with guidelines on how to conduct the survey in their workplaces. Gather and store survey data. Issue reports to participating operations. Issue an industry-wide summary report on IRS. Offer assistance to firms that wish to develop IRS-improvement plans. 11

workplaces. Gather and store survey data. Issue reports to participating operations.

12 Phase 3 WSN s Role Representatives from the mining industry were invited to the IRS Advanced Training Symposiums to: Discuss IRS theory. Help develop an IRS PowerPoint presentation to deliver at their worksite. Review the IRS Survey. Review how to administer the IRS survey at their worksites. IRS Symposiums were held on: September 10, 2013 November 19, 2013 January 9,

Help develop an IRS PowerPoint presentation to deliver at their worksite.

13 Phase 3 Industry s Role Companies appointed IRS Site Facilitators delivered surveys on the IRS to: Workers Middle and Mine Managers, Health and Safety Coordinators Joint Health and Safety Committees Front-line Supervisors Surveys were collected and delivered to WSN for processing. IRS Site Facilitators were to present the WSN IRS PowerPoint to everyone on site after the survey was completed and survey results were communicated back to workforce participants. 13

were collected and delivered to WSN for processing.

14 Phase 3 Survey Tool Question 1A Question 1A: (fill in the circle for every statement that applies) I believe that the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) is where: o Everyone (from rockface to boardroom) looks after health and safety as part of doing their job; o The workers are the only ones to look after their own and coworkers safety; o The supervisors and managers cooperate with workers to head off and solve problems; o We work together to make things better by reducing or eliminating the health and safety risks; 14

job; o The workers are the only ones to look after their own and coworkers safety; o The supervisors and managers cooperate with

15 Question 1A Continued (I believe that the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) is where) o The health and safety committee is directly responsible for the workers health and safety; o The supervisor only makes sure the workers follow the rules and procedures; o If the worker cannot fix the problem, his/her immediate superviosr will help find the answer; o If the worker cannot fix the problem, the only way out is to refuse to work; o The health and safety coordinator finds the problem and tells us to fix them; 15

procedures; o If the worker cannot fix the problem, his/her immediate superviosr will help find the answer; o If the worker

16 Question 1A Continued (I believe that the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) is where) o The health and safety committee is a resource o The health and safety committee helps resolve issues when other ways fail; o We go beyond fixing problems and try to improve health and safety in the work processes; 16

and safety committee helps resolve issues when other ways fail; o We go

17 Question 1B 1B) Given my responses in 1A, I believe the IRS is working well in this company. o Strongly Disagree o Somewhat Disagree o Somewhat Agree o Strongly Agree o Not Applicable o Don t Know 17

18 IRS Survey Comments Box The end of the survey contains a comment box with the following text: Please provide comments inside the box below if there is anything else you would like to add about the company s performance regarding the Internal Responsibility System (IRS). 18

below if there is anything else you would like to add about the

19 Initial Findings for IRS Survey Phase 3 Graph 1 Responses by Category Number or surveys requested vs. received 19

20 Initial Findings for IRS Survey Phase 3 Graph 2 Summary of answers to Question 1a as percentages 20

21 Initial Findings for IRS Survey Phase 3 Graph 3 Summary of answers of Question 1b as percentages 21

22 22 Initial Findings for IRS Survey Phase 3

23 Initial Findings for IRS Survey Phase 3 Graph 5 Score is derived by multiplying responses Q1A * Q1B 23

24 IRS Initiative Phase 3 This initiative is continuing and all firms are welcome to participate in Phase 3. Firms need to contact WSN by June 1, 2014 to request surveys and guidelines for administering surveys. Completed surveys need to be returned to WSN by June 20, A Final Summary report will be released on September 30,

25 IRS Phase 3 Thank you. 25

Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review

Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review The Internal Responsibility System Working Group An Overview Megan Waqué, WSN 1 Fergus Kerr, OMA John Perquin, USW 1 Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review