Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/891178
AGGREGATES MANAGER / November 2017 13 New Harvey Sand has acquired quite a collection of safe- ty awards over the years and aims to continue adding to that collection by striving for continuous improvement. "We have a Martin Marietta Diamond Achievement Award," says Mark Nicoson, area production manager, explaining that they must meet certain financial and safety criteria to get the award. Last year, 162 Martin Marietta operations worldwide received the Diamond Achievement Award. From those, 10 operations received the Diamond Honor Award, and one was chosen to receive the Diamond Elite Award, the highest award given by the company. "Next year, we'll try again," Nicoson notes. In 2016, the operation received the Sentinels of Safety Award from the National Mining Association (NMA) in rec- ognition of its outstanding safety achievement of working 10,688 hours without an injury. The award was presented during MinExpo 2016. "We normally have four employees here, but last year, when we got the Sentinels of Safety Award, we actually worked a lot with only three," says Tim Chambers, plant manager, adding that people come from other locations when they have high demand and need to run two shifts. "I don't remember the last time we had a lost-time injury," he continues. "These guys do a really good job. They're always looking out for each other, which is the main thing. They work well together to make sure the new employees coming in are trained and know what they're doing before we just turn them loose." Safety awards work. "It must be working," Chambers notes, "because since we started implementing stretches, we haven't had anyone report a strain or pulled muscle." Every day after the stretches, the employees walk through their area and do a workplace exam to make sure everything is good before they start. "We might burn up a good hour in the morning before we even start production, just to make sure the work areas are safe and clean," Chambers explains. "It's one of MSHA's new objectives, but we've been doing it for years. If there are any safety items, they fix them right away before they start up." They also do weekly walks through the plant. A leadman and one employee or safety captain will travel to several sites to get different eyes on them. It helps to have someone look at a plant that doesn't see it every day. "One big change we've implemented recently is radios for each individual, so they can communicate with each other," Nicoson notes. "That made a huge difference. It allows for constant communication, and that's what I think safety's all about." Chambers says it takes a lot of dedication from the crew to stay safe. With only four crew members most of the time, it's extremely important that they all show up every day. Losing just one to injury takes away 25 percent of the workforce. By working safely and going home safe every night, they're able to come to work every day. AM After the concrete/ asphalt sand passes through the washing screen, it goes through a dewatering screw and is placed in a stockpile by a radial stacker. Equipment List • Caterpillar 980H loader • Caterpillar D6 dozer • Dodge half-ton pickup maintenance truck • Twinkle chain dredge • J40 booster pump • Telsmith 4x12 triple-deck scalping screen • Eagle Iron Works log washer • Rex/Simplicity 4x12 triple-deck rinse screen • Eagle Iron Works classifier tank • Eagle Iron Works 54-inch single concrete sand screw • Superior 36-inch single fill sand screw • Vari-Vibe 6x12 screen New Harvey Sand personnel (from left: Lead man Jeff Holmes, Tim Chambers, Mark Nicoson) receive the Sentinels of Safety Award from NMA President and CEO Hal Quinn (right).