Friday, April 21, 2023

Porcupine North-Eastern Ontario Mine Safety Group

Conference (PNOMSG)

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Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention At the Metsite

MSDs and Risk Factors

History of MSD Team

Metsite Program

RAC MSD Hazards

Projects

Benefits of MSD Prevention

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Musculoskeletal Disorders

• Injury or disorder of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints,

nerves, blood vessels, or related soft tissue

• May be caused or aggravated by work

• Often called sprains and strains

• Common examples include bursitis, tendonitis, trigger finger

white hand, tennis elbow and include conditions such as back

injuries involving muscles, ligaments or spinal discs

Introduction

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Primary Risk Factors:

Secondary Risk Factors:- contact stress - work organization

- local or body vibration - work methods

- personal factors - ergonomic factors

- cold and hot work environments

Introduction

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Regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act

Duty of the employer to take every reasonable precaution to ensure the health and safety of workers

MSD Prevention introduced to the Health and Safety

and Reclamation Code for Mines in BC

Introduction

How We Started

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• Identified as a key safety

initiative for Concentrator

• Employees participated in

ergonomics training

• Committee formed

History

• MSD Prevention Program

• Delivery of General

Awareness and Education

• Developed Survey and with

opportunities for Feedback

• Survey Analysis

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– Goals and Objectives

– Commitment

– Scope of Program

– Roles and Responsibilities

– Procedures

– Education and Training

MSD Prevention Program

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• New hires and existing employees receive(d) MSD

Awareness Training

• Contractors receive training through indoctrination

• Training includes:

• recognizing new and existing hazards through risk

factors

• Ensures understanding of MSD Prevention and hazard

identification

• Requirements for reporting equipment problems,

incidents and unsafe tasks

General Awareness and Training

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• General Survey and Workstation Ergonomic Survey

• Classification of Employees

• Maintenance

• Service Crew

• Operation

• Office Employees

• Identification of potential Hazards for each group

• Common MSD symptoms

• Common MSD hazards

Surveys

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CLASSIFICATION OF MSD RELATED SYMPTOMS FOR THE CONCENTRATORSERVICE CREW OFFICE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

ELBOW NECK SHOULDERS NECKLOWER BACK UPPER BACK UPPER BACK UPPER BACK

KNEES LOWER BACK LOWER BACK LOWER BACK- - KNEES SHOULDERS

ElbowsLower Back

Knees

Service Crew Office

Lower Back

Upper Back

Neck

Maintenance

Upper Back

Lower Back

Knees

Shoulders

Operations

Shoulders Neck

Upper Back

Lower Back

Analysis

Problem Solving using:

Recognize

Assess

Control

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Proactive

Reactive Anticipate

s and prevents problems

Active investigati

on methods

Deals with issues as they arise

Passive investigati

on methods

VVSS

Recognize

Proactive Approach

Identifying risk factors before accidents occur

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• Training (co-chairs, supervisors, JOHSC

members and workers)

• Standardized surveys

• Workplace inspections

• Qualitative and quantitative assessments

• Recognizing symptoms (early reporting)

Recognize

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• Target certain tasks or areas of workplace

• HSEC project management

• Capture in project design

• Drawings reviews, HAZOPs and risk assessments

• Pre-Construction Engineering Checklist

• Site Specific Orientation

• Contractor Crew Toolbox meetings

• Contractor Work Procedures, Health and Safety and Environmental Procedures

• General Specifications for Engineering Consultants

• General Specifications for Contract Labour

Recognize

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Assess

•Qualitative and quantitative tools

•Standardized surveys and

assessments

•Discomfort surveys

•Questionnaires

•Industry Standard Tools

(RULA, Wash. State, Niosh Lifting

Equations, etc.)

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Control

•Risks are minimized to lowest reasonably practical using to standard control hierarchy•Goal is to design controls, systems and workstation to the employee

Eliminate

Substitution

Engineering / Isolation

Administration / Training

Personal Protective Equipment

Behaviour Management

Most Effective

Least Effective

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• Review Program through MSD and JOHSC

committees

• Review of committee’s goals and objectives

by completing

Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle

• Align MSD program with Sustainable

Development and health and safety programs

MSD Committee Functions

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• Team brainstorming and strategic planning

meetings

• Development of annual action plans

• Continuous preventative training and awareness

• Team member professional development

MSD Committee Functions

MSD Initiatives

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Project – Valve Replacements

Problem:

Process valves used by employees have known associated risks factors when opening and closing

Solution:

•Replace valve with larger handles and/or replace with different type of valves to reduce risk factors

•Continuous improvement initiative

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Project – Valve Replacements

Problem:

Process Operator opens Tomlinson Valves to drain pumpboxes. Valve located in poor location under pumpbox requiring operators to exert force in awkward postures

Solution:

•Relocate existing valves to the sides of pumpbox

•New pumpbox installations have location included in the design

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Project – Cyclone Replacement

Problem:

Cramped space and poor design for inspections and sampling of Cyclones

Solution:

•Enlarged catwalk design and removal of tripping hazards

•Easier access to cyclone overflow and underflow sampling ports and inspections

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Project – Dryer Hopper Hammers

Problem:

Dewatering Operator bangs chutes every 3 hours with heavy sledge hammer exerting excessive force and awkward posture

Solution:

•Install hopper hammers on Cu1, Cu2, Zn1 and Zn2 dryers

• These hammers will help to dislodge the concentrate that builds-up in the chute walls

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Project – Workstation Seating

Problem:

•Loco Operator complaining of sore back and legs falling asleep on Loco’s 054 and 055

•Chair not equipped with proper hardware (foot pedal) creating height problem. Operators compensate by leaning forward at lowest setting to reach pedal, causing discomfort and awkward sitting posture over course of 8 hour shift

Solution:

•Installation of “Industry Standard” and ergo seating for operators with proper hardware

•Change process plant control room seating (Ergo and CSA Standards)

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Replace manual forklift with battery operated forklift

Replace castors on carts with pneumatic tires

Rolling tables and lifting devices

Vibration study; anti-fatigue matting and dampening mats

Replace sample buckets to a smaller size

Grease block retrofits

Modification of crusher to remove redundant lip

Changes to procedures and job rotation

Replacement of air hoses with wands for cleaning

Relocation of disconnects

Improved dust control

Problem:

•Address ergonomic and musculoskeletal hazards in the Drill Core Sample Prep Lab for Manual Handling of Samples, Crushing, Pulverizing and associated work

Solution:

•Identified 29 item with risk factors

•Made changes to reduce high force activities, non-neutral postures, repetitive motions and long duration

Project – Drill Core Sample Prep

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Problem:

•Equipment was built for very tall people. Changing panel parameters and reading panel required operators to be in awkward posture

Solution:

•Build platform for worker to stand on for viewing and making changes on panels

•Platform height build to the 95 height percentile

Project – Water Treatment Plant

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Project – Improvements and Opportunities

Improvements:

•Ergonomic Tools (design and vibration rating)

•Vibration Studies

•Personal Protective Equipment

•Mechanical Assist

Opportunities:

•Central Control Room re-design

•Dryer Refractory and Hearth Rebuilds

•Physical Demands Analysis

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•Maintained health

•Enhanced productivity for individuals and work groups

•Cost of injuries to worker and employer (quality of life)

•Improved workstation design

•Early management of symptoms

•Compliance with government regulations

•Employee satisfaction

Benefits

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MSD Team

Alan Chow -Training and Development

Tammy Harper -Analytical Lab

Guy Lamb -Safety

Gary Kader -Maintenance

Wanita Muzyka -Occupational Health

Mathew Street -Industrial Hygiene

Shawn Connors -Worker Rep.

All Employees -Metsite Kidd Operations

Thanks for you Attention!

achow@xstratacopper.ca