Carlsbad Current-Argus (LOCAL NEWS)
December 4, 2003

Mine gets top safety award
 - By Jason P. Montoya: Current-Argus Staff Writer

CARLSBAD – A U.S. Labor Department official presented Mississippi Potash Inc.’s West Mine with the 2002 Sentinels of Safety Award on Thursday for the mine’s safety record in 2002.

“My experience tells me that safety and health should be part of your business plan.  It should be a core value of your organization’s business components,” said David Lauriski, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health.

“For us to be able to come out and promote this kind of event and promote the accomplishments of an organization like Mississippi Potash helps us show people that these types of things can be accomplished,” he said.

Lauriski called the award the most prestigious honor of all industries in the United States.

Mississippi’s West Mine earned the award in the underground nonmetal group with 263,371 employee hours without an injury that resulted in lost workdays.  It was the fourth time since 1990 that Mississippi Potash Inc. has won the 77-year-old award.

The Sentinels of Safety Award – the oldest occupational safety award – is given out by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the National Mining Association.  Randy Foote, general manager of Mississippi Potash, attributed the honor to his employees’ attitudes and efforts.

“It’s really a recognition of the hard work our employees have put forth.  By winning this award, we are recognized by our peers as having superior programs with employees who go out there and actually perform those programs,” he said.  Dale Janway, manager of safety for Mississippi, said safety is a major focus of the company.

“It’s our goal every day to get the workers out safe and back to their families,” he said.

The Sentinels of Safety trophy depicts a mother holding a child, symbolizing a theme that was mentioned several times during the award presentation – miners’ safe and healthy return to their families.

Terry White, a 24-year mine employee, said safety is important.

“It’s something that is always put first,” he said.  “When you plan a job, you have to be thinking of the safe way to do it.”

Roy Chavez, a miner with 28 years of experience, acknowledged pride in received the award.

Lauriski took the opportunity Thursday to tour the West Mine’s underground mining facility.  When he stepped off an elevator at the bottom of the local potash basin’s oldest mineshaft, a sign reminding workers to maintain safety greeted him.  Various signs throughout the mine repeated the message.

Lauriski said the formation for the Mine Safety and Health Administration with the Mine Safety Act of 1977 has caused substantial change in the mining industry.

“The number of fatalities has been reduced by about 67 percent,” he said.  “The number of illnesses has also dropped dramatically.  The rate of injury is at an all-time low.”

Lauriski said winning the Sentinels of Safety Award has become competitive in recent years.

“It’s becoming more and more difficult for mining operations to win this award because so many operations are getting similar kinds of results as we are seeing here at Mississippi.”

“The people in this agency and the mining community have helped to create that atmosphere.  We have tried to instill a culture of safety and prevention, instead of a culture of reaction.  We need people to understand that safety is a life value.  We want miners to go home safely to their families.”