The Future Culture of Mining Safety and Health In North America

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Wednesday, September 22, 1999

0800 - Registration Desk - Mezzanine

0930 - Official Opening - Provencher Room

Tom Farrell
Canada - Mexico - United States (Heads of Delegations)

1000 - Conference Overview - Geoff Bawden

Theme: Technologies for Workplace Protection

The mining sector is continually improving safety for its workers. New methods exist to reduce the risk of exposure to hazardous situations. Advances in areas such as remote mining, virtual reality and disaster planning are providing better ways to help us prevent injuries.

1015 - Plenary Session - Provencher Room

Chair: Richard Martin, Canada
Speaker: Marvin W. Nichols Jr., United States

1145 - Luncheon - Provencher Room

1230 - Luncheon Address - Reaching the Pinnacle Through Teamwork and Communication

Chair: Tom Farrell
Speaker: Sharon Wood

1400 - Concurrent Sessions

Remote Mining - La Verendrye Room
One way to safeguard workers in the use of mining procedures that limit the exposure of workers to hazardous situations. These techniques are constantly being improved.

Chair: William Pomroy, United States
Speakers: Malcolm Scoble, Canada; Ing. Emilio Peña Burciaga, Mexico; Gerald Dransite, United States.

Virtual Reality - Provencher Room
With the evolution of computer technologies it is now possible to review past and present practices to develop actual working models to help predict the impact of prevention strategies before they are adopted in the workplace.

Chair: Dr. Juan Antonio Legaspi Velasco, Mexico
Speakers: Bruce Dial, United States; Ing. Eduardo Estrada Magaña, Mexico.

1530 - Lifestyle Break - Mezzanine

1600 - General Session - Provencher Room

Disaster Planning / Mine Rescue
Proper Planning can help prepare for unforeseen incidents, reducing their impact.

Chair: Ted Hewitt, Canada
Speakers: Felix Quintana, United States; Ing. Fidencio Vigil Ruiz, Mexico; Barry Simoneau, Canada.

1730 - Adjournment

Thursday, September 23, 1999

Theme: Preventing Adverse Human Consequences

The strategies for maintaining optimum worker well-being range from basic body mechanics training to strictly enforced regulatory standards. However, a clear understanding of the mechanism of injury coupled with the knowledge of the personal and corporate impact of these injuries must predicate the prevention activities.

0900 - Plenary Session - Provencher Room

Chair: Galen Trabant, United States
Speaker: Ing. Enrique Valverde Durán, Mexico

1000 - Lifestyle Break - Mezzanine

1030 - Concurrent Sessions

Ergonomics / Human Factors / Musculoskeletal Injuries - La Verendrye Room
The science of recognizing cumulative and acute trauma resulting from work activity is being further refined. The process for prevention of these injuries is less developed.

Chair: Bernie Deck, Canada Speakers: Ing. Jean Paul Becker Meyer, Mexico; Dr. Larry Grayson, United States; Tammy Eger, Canada.

Respiratory Disease - Provencher Room
Pneumoconiosis from coal, silica, asbestos and other sources continues to occur. Surveillance provides the first step to improved protection strategies.

Chair: Larry Macken, United States
Speakers: Ing. Manuel Guillermo Landa Piedra, Mexico; Dr. David Muir, Canada; Kenneth Vorpahl, United States.

1200 - Lunch - Provencher Room

Chair: Ed Huebert
Speaker: Wally Fox-Decent

1330 - Concurrent Sessions

Diesel Exhaust Emissions Issues - Provencher Room
A study of health issues, environmental controls and current standards will help illustrate the current state of affairs. New research and technologies may dramatically affect the magnitude of diesel exhaust emissions in the years to come.

Chair: William Pomroy, United States
Speakers: Dr. Arnold Miller, Canada; Ing. Abel Fernández Tijerin, Mexico; Joe Main, Bruce Watzman, United States.

Long Term Health Effects - La Verendrye Room
The role of epidemiology in the association and causation of long term health effects with workplace activities plays a pivotal role in hazard control.

Chair: Dr. Alberto Aguilar Salinas, Mexico
Speakers: Jean-Marc Mackenzie, Canada; Margie Zalesak, United States; Dr. Juan Rauda Esquivel, Mexico.

1500 - Lifestyle Break - Mezzanine

1530 - General Session - Provencher Room

Occupational Injury and Illnesses: Compensation and Reporting
Workers' Compensation plays a key role in injury prevention. Claims data forms the basis for the epidemiological tool in issue identification, rehabilitation supports a return to work program and overall managed case issues support inducements to reduce costs.

Chair: Lic. Joaquín Blanes Casas, Mexico
Speakers: Dave Blumenstein, United States; Jean-Marc Mackenzie, Canada; Dr. Alberto Aguilar Salinas, Mexico.

1700 - Adjournment

Friday, September 24, 1999

Theme: Partnerships for Managing Safety and Health

Every mechanism only operates at peak efficiency when each component functions flawlessly. Similarly the total effectiveness of an occupational safety and health system can only be reached when all members of the workplace assume responsibility for its success.

0900 - Plenary Session - Provencher Room

Chair: Dr. José Luis Lee Moreno, Mexico
Speaker: Gérard Lachance, Canada

1000 - Lifestyle Break - Mezzanine

1030 - General Session - Provencher Room

Performance Measures in OSH
Both companies and government regulators need to be able to measure the effectiveness of their safety and health interventions. This session will discuss a variety of measures being used to assess safety and health program performance.

Chair: Dr. Ted Redekop, Canada
Speakers: Dr. Larry Grayson, United States; Dr. José Luis Lee Moreno, Mexico; Nelson Wright, Canada.

1200 - Luncheon - Provencher Room

Chair: Geoff Bawden
Speaker: Rob Hilliard

1330 - Concurrent Sessions

Positive Workplace Rapport - La Verendrye Room
The intent of a workplace safety and health committee is to collectively identify and resolve conditions within a workplace, which have the potential to cause injury or property damage. The effectiveness of a workplace safety and health committee is influenced by numerous factors including the rapport between labour and management which can virtually eliminate workplace incidents.

Chair: George Schorr, United States
Speakers: Ing. Abel Fernández Tijerin, Mexico; Dr. Barry Warrack, Canada; Joe Main, United States.

Setting Standards - Provencher Room
What is the acceptable level of performance for safety and health? The process for scientifically and practically achieving optimal safety and health without affecting production is critical. When all stakeholders jointly set standards, 100% compliance is attainable.

Chair: Dr. Alejandro Galindo Barajas, Mexico
Speakers: James LeBlanc, Canada; Mario Fernandez, United States; Lic. Rodrigo Sarmiento Valtier,Lic. Joaquín Blanes Casas, Mexico.

1500 - Lifestyle Break - Mezzanine

1530 - Closing

Trinational Panel Session - Provencher Room
Summary / Recommendations for the Future
The mission of this conference was to assess the state of mining safety and health in North America. We must now look to the future, the new millenium and consider our future direction. By understanding the challenges we face and recognizing the successes of others we can influence our future. Chair: Gordon Peeling, Canada

Speakers: Ing. Abel Fernández Tijerin, Dr. Alejandro Galindo Barajas, Mexico; H.L. Boling, Margie Zalesak, Michael Sprinker, United States; Steve Hunt, Dr. Michel Pérusse, John Udd, Canada.