Mining Industry: Safety Reset
At present WorkPac Group are supporting the Mining Industry Safety Reset Campaign being undertaken across all QLD Mines and Quarries.This campaign is seeking to ensure the safety of all mining industry employees following the sad passing of six workers in the past 12 months. This safety reset is the first step in refocusing the attention of the entire Industry to its number one priority - the heath and safety of all workers and everyone’s right to return home after work.WorkPac has developed a Safety Information Bulletin to support the Mining Safety Reset Campaign and this can be viewed here.Whether you work in mining or in another high-risk industry, we ask you to please remember these key safety points:Report all Safety Incidents and Hazards to your site supervisor and WorkPac Group Immediately;Don’t undertake work if the risk is not acceptable;Stop work if the risk is not acceptable;Be aware of your surroundings at all times;Be alert when working around machinery and other hazards;Call out and report poor safety practices and behaviours;Ensure you understand the Site Safety Management System, see your Supervisor if you need more information on site-specific safety procedures.Remember - the most important thing to come off the site each day is you.
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- HEALTH AND SAFETY
- MINING
How the right mindset and attitude can lead to a permanent role at Rio Tinto
WorkPac would like to congratulate Marley, one of several WorkPac employees at the Mesa A site who have gone permanent with Rio!In late 2017 WorkPac and JobTrail underwent a recruitment drive in the Pilbara region focused on offering young Indigenous job seekers who were interested in mining a pathway into the industry. Marley was part of a Robe Valley assessment centre run by the JobTrail team where he was a standout candidate and landed a role as a trainee operator on site at Mesa A.Throughout his entire traineeship Marley’s work performance has been of the highest level and he has been a great team player. Our Site Manager for Mesa A, Kath Collins, caught up with Marley’s Supervisor Dean to learn more about what earned him a permanent position.“Marley is a positive young guy. He is a very productive worker and is always the first to put his hand up for other jobs when the trucks are down. He is a real go getter of a young bloke, and that is why we progressed him. Everyone in the team speaks highly of him. I am confident that Marley will be a great asset to our team and will go a long way with Rio Tinto” he said.When asked what advice he would give to other young people looking for a career in mining, Marley emphasised the importance of keeping a good attitude on site.“Definitely, the number one thing is to have a good attitude. Don’t let the information overload get to you or overwhelm you at first- because there is so much to learn! … There is a lot of adjusting to do at first, but ease into it and be willing to keep an open mind about it all. Be willing and eager to learn, be flexible, and give everything a go!”Kath also spoke with Marley about the best parts of the job, who spoke highly about the Mesa A site and crew.“I would have to say the People, I work with a great bunch of people who make it enjoyable to come to work and catch up. Mesa A is a great Site. The crews are pretty small, so you get to know everyone really well, and feel part of a close team. I felt part of the team from the moment I got out here. Finally, it is a great learning environment, there is always something new learn, and Mesa A and the managers are really encouraging of that”Marley is a fantastic example of how the right attitude and mindset can lead to great things, and a great role model for all those looking to crack into the industry. We would like to wish him the best of luck as he continues his mining career with Rio Tinto- we’re sure he’s going to go far!
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WorkPac opens a new recruitment office in Perth as their work with Rio Tinto continues to grow
Previously working from the Perth office, WorkPac’s Rio Tinto Project Services team have moved to their own space.Australia’s largest privately-owned recruitment company WorkPac have opened their second office in Perth, the city where they opened their first business centre in 1997.The second office is dedicated to WorkPac’s Rio Tinto Project Services team, who manage recruitment for Rio Tinto Iron Ore.The Project Services team was created in 2017 as a dedicated team servicing Rio Tinto and have since shared an office space with the Perth Business Centre, but as both those teams have continued to expand the need for a new location became apparent.Business Centre Manager for Project Services, Mr. Dennis Blewitt, said the move is telling of how far WorkPac has come since it was first founded.“Perth is the city where WorkPac was founded, and now 21 years and over 40 business centres later, it’s a proud moment for everyone that we’re opening our second office here.”“It’s also an especially proud moment for myself and my team, as a reflection of all the hard work we’ve put in over the past year.”“This move is not only going to give us the space we need now, but room to continue to grow in the future.”“Having our own space separate from the Perth office is also going to make it easier for candidates to find us for interviews and training”.Mr Blewitt is looking forward to continuing working with both Rio Tinto and job seekers in WA.“We’re very fortunate to have Rio as one of our major clients, and our partnership will continue to focus on finding great roles for great people with an Australian icon”.“I look forward to continuing to provide them with the best service possible”.The new office is in the same building as the Perth Office at 31 Ventnor Avenue in West Perth, with the Perth team being located on level 3 and the Project Services team on the ground floor.Those looking for work with Rio Tinto in the region can get in touch with the team at riojobs@workpac.com or by calling 1300 498 559.Anyone seeking staff in the Perth Region is encouraged to check out our page on Recruitment in Perth
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WorkPac's Guide to Coal Mining for Operators
Are you an experienced Operator looking for work in Coal Mining? Check out our infographic below for information on where the roles are, the qualifications needed, and what recruiters look for.For information on Entry Level Operator roles, stay tuned for our next post over the coming weeks.Be sure to stay tuned for our upcoming posts on Entry Level Coal Mining roles and the types of machinery used on coal sites!You can check out our available roles here or contact your nearest office here
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Diversity in the Workforce
WorkPac has gathered data regarding Diversity in Mining and other industries. Keep reading to see how your business stacks up.
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Women In Mining Infographic
Women in mining only make up 15% of the sector. We know as an industry we have to do better and if we want things to change it's up to us to lead the way.WorkPac surveyed 675 women in Western Australia to understand what attracts them to the mining industry and what their work preferences are.These results will shape recruitment strategies to increase participation of women in mining the workforce.Our Women in Mining infographic shows what they said ... WorkPac together with Fortescue Metals Group, a global leader in the mining market, are reaching out to women who have ever thought about a career in mining or who are considering a return to the industry. Click here to register your interest in working for WorkPac at one of Fortescue Metals' mines. Why is this important? Why is it critical to have women in mining? Gender parity in the workplace is not only an issue of fairness but is about attracting the best talent. Women account for half the world's population and if they don't achieve their full economic potential, our economy suffers, says the McKinsey Global Institute. If you're excluding half the population from your recruitment process, you're simply not hiring from the best talent pool available. A study by the McKinsey Global Institute finds that the world economy could add $12 trillion in growth over the next decade if countries meet the best-in-region scores for improving women’s participation in the labor force. The Credit Suisse Research Institute found that companies with female directors on the board outperformed all-male boards across growth, productivity and return on equity. This doesn't just apply to our boardrooms. Teams with lower percentages of women have lower sales and lower profits than teams with a balanced gender mix. Performance and productivity is higher across gender neutral crews, teams and departments.The correlation between gender balanced teams and financial performance is addressed in many studies, examples can be found at the Australian Government's Workplace Gender Equality Agency and Harvard University's Kennedy School to name a few.Last year, Fortescue Mining Group appointed two new female directors, former Leighton executive Penny Bingham-Hall and Deloitte partner Jennifer Morris, to replace two men retiring from the board.Six of the 10 board of directors are women and Fortescue’s chairman and founder, Andrew Forrest, told Women's Agenda that the diversity of the board has been critical and "a natural evolution" for the company.Fortescue’s share price grew by 400 per cent in 2016 and Mr Forrest says while merit-based hiring is a given, "diversity is an extremely strong factor in merit. If you have no women on your board and you are looking at a new director with approximately equal skills, for the sake of your shareholders choose diversity."Interested in mining jobs in WA? Click here to search resources jobs in Western Australia.Sources:http://www.mckinsey.com/global-themes/employment-and-growth/how-advancing-womens-equality-can-add-12-trillion-to-global-growthhttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/boardroom-gender-balance-improving-but-much-work-to-do/news-story/b51e1aaaf18398362e983b7fe584b797https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/eds-blog/how-fortescue-metal-has-a-board-dominated-by-women/
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Innovative mechanical fitter redesigns mining skid lights
Click this link to download the full article: Mechanical fitter redesigns mining skid lightsFor media enquiries please contact Penny Massey at penny.massey@workpac.comTranscript:Local “Iron Man” redesigns mining skid lights, creating potential game-changer in his family garageMeet our real-life Iron Man in the making, Dave.Dave Nicholls is a WorkPac mechanical fitter working at Rio Tinto’s Hunter Valley Operations.Like Marvel’s character Tony Stark, Dave has a creative flair for building machines but he innovates on his off-swing, in the family garage while raising his three girls with his wife Kelly.Working on a mine site, Dave sees first-hand some of the challenges the mining industry faces with lighting plants.This inspired Dave to create a safer, greener, more cost-effective skid light.Building the skid light prototype in his garage for the last two years has been anall-consuming process for Dave and his family but his design has multinational giant Rio Tinto excited.“I built the prototype in my garage at home. It’s about six and a half tonnes all up, six metres long and three and a half metres wide,” says Dave.The early days were hard, Dave struggled to move steel around and turn parts over.Working on a large machine meant everything had to be welded into position.After finishing the base, and fabricating the smaller pieces, Dave transported the skid light to his brother-in-law’s farm where they painted it, installed the engine and started commissioning and trialling lights.“Rio has this unrelenting focus on everyone getting home safe and healthy every day,” Dave said.“Ultimately, my focus is safety. Working on a Rio site where there’s a strong safety culture, safety is the number one priority for everyone. Something I’m really proud of as a worker on the HVO [Hunter Valley Operations] site is a thing Riointroduced called Critical Risk Management”.CRM (Critical Risk Management) is implemented across all Rio Tinto operations and focuses on identifying critical risks and verifying critical controls. For each critical risk, there’s a series of controls that must be in place to prevent an incident.Dave designed his skid light with Rio Tinto’s CRM in mind and has eliminated the risk of lifting operations, entanglement and crushing, uncontrolled release of energy and electrical contact and has greatly reduced the risk of vehicle impact on a person.“That’s what got Rio’s attention and it’s why there’s been so much support for my design”.“The existing skid lights used on mine sites around the world are overcomplicated for what they have to do.“They just shine a light but there’s so much stuff going on and so many moving parts.“This increases the chances of crush injuries, pinch points, cylinders failing, suspended loads and uncontrollable releases of energy.“I thought, there should be something easier. There wasn’t. So I built it.“As well as increasing the safety of the lighting plant, my new design also increases productivity because you’re not stopping trucks and machines that cost $400 an hour while you move a light.“Getting out of the cab, making the machine fundamental, lowering it down, packing it up, isolating it and taking it to a new location holds up the fleet and when you have a reasonably sized fleet like we have at Rio, it adds up.“Something as simple as not having to get out of a cab to lower the mast will save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.“Rio have been working with me to time the difference between the current skid lights and my design.“It’s proving to be a big time saver”.Dave took an environmental approach to the new design, ensuring his skid light reduces greenhouse gas emissions.“Rio is a firm believer in minimising environmental impact so it’s great that we can take a collaborative approach to the impacts of climate change”.The skid light in use runs on a 415 generator which is fuelled 156 times a year.The new design is fuelled 10 times per year with the option of incorporating a battery pack to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to extend services and refuelling periods.The battery pack will see the new skid lights refuelled four times per year.While Dave might not get recruited for S.H.I.E.L.D any time soon, this Hunter Valley Tony Stark is enjoying a healthy, collaborative relationship with Rio Tinto as they explore the potential of Dave’s innovative skid light.For now, Dave continues to juggle his role as a WorkPac mechanical fitter, father and husband while working on his entrepreneurial project.“WorkPac has been really good to me. It’s great turning up to do your job and getting paid – you don’t have to worry about losing contracts.“If something happens, if a contract is lost, WorkPac has such a wide reach across the industry so you can just swap over to another site.“When you’re working for yourself you get a bit sick of chasing work and chasing money all the time.“The stability of income and employment is good for me and has empowered me to work on my skid light design.“My father-in-law and family have all been very supportive, helping me get the design to where it is now.“We’ve been working on it whenever I’m not at work but I’m confident it will all pay off.“There’s nothing out there like it”.Dave is determined to increase the safety and wellbeing of workers, cut costs and better manage atmospheric emissions through hisinnovative light design.Don’t be surprised if you start to see this new design onsite in the future.
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NRL legend Scott Prince joins the WorkPac Group to deliver Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment program in Queensland
Scott Prince, new ambassador for Indigenous employment program, Murri’s in the Mines, is encouraging Indigenous WorkPac employees to complete their traineeship and build a career in mining.15 Indigenous participants have started their Certificate III in Surface Extraction at Rio Tinto’s Hail Creek Mine in Central Queensland.WorkPac and its Indigenous division JobTrail is delivering the program with mentoring provided by Traditional Owners and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service.Murri’s in the Mines ensures Indigenous trainee operators have the right support at home and in the workplace to finish their traineeships and grow their careers.Scott will go onsite as the program’s ambassador, meeting with participants and their supervisors to provide support and motivation to the 15 trainees currently completing the program.Scott says he got involved in the program to support and encourage Indigenous trainees to be successful in their pursuits in the mining sector.“I think that like footy, the workplace offers individuals the opportunities to perform and succeed, but it’s not without challenges,” Scott said.“My father Les was a miner in Mount Isa, without his hard work, I wouldn’t have been able to pursue my football career.”“I’m proud to offer support to these guys and girls who are starting out in mining. I’ve seen first-hand with my dad; a mining career really helps provide for your family and gives back to your community and hopefully we’ll see another Maroons halfback come out of a mining town.”Scott’s work as an ambassador for Indigenous community programs demonstrates his strong commitment to increasing Indigenous participation in the education, training and employment space, says JobTrail National Manager, Julian Genn.“Being a proud Aboriginal from the Kalkadoon tribe in the Mount Isa region makes Scott someone our participants can relate to and look up to,” said Julian.“Scott is a well-known ex-NRL player and his profile will bring exposure to the program and help increase employment in the local Indigenous community”.To learn more about WorkPac’s Indigenous division JobTrail, click hereTo download a copy of our Reconciliation Action Plan, click here
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Infographic on Mining Jobs in the Pilbara
WorkPac surveyed over 250 Western Australians to understand what’s important to people working and living in the Pilbara.Check out our infographic on favourite rosters, job roles, pay, how many workers FIFO, what influences people to relocate and more. Call your local business centre todayWorkPac Karratha +61 8 9159 6622WorkPac Newman +61 8 9177 9722WorkPac Port Hedland +61 8 9158 5522WorkPac Tom Price +61 8 9189 2922
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Mining Jobs in the Pilbara [infographic]
WorkPac surveyed 125 Western Australians to understand what's important to our local and FIFO workers in the Pilbara and to job seekers considering mining jobs in the region. We wanted to know who would relocate to the region for work in the mines, what the most popular rosters are and what percentage of mining jobs are FIFO. Check out our infographic to see what our respondents had to say.Would you relocate to the Pilbara for a mining job? Or would you prefer a FIFO job? Register at www.workpac.com/register and our Recruitment Coordinators will let you know what mining jobs we have on offer.Call your local Business Centre todayWorkPac Karratha +61 8 9159 6622WorkPac Newman +61 8 9177 9722WorkPac Port Hedland +61 8 9158 5522WorkPac Tom Price +61 8 9189 2922
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