Usibelli Coal Mine achieves 2 years with zero lost time accidents
Healy, AK – On January 30, Usibelli Coal Mine (UCM) achieved two years of operations without a single lost time accident (LTA), a job-related injury that results in time away from work. UCM’s safety program, Everyday Safety—At Work. At Home. At Play. , combined with the CORE Safety framework of the Nation- al Mining Association lays the foundation to make safety a core value for all mine employees. “The number one priority at UCM is safety – every day, and in everything we do,” said UCM president and CEO, Joe Usibelli Jr. “We have 98 employees who have worked safely for more than 372,000 hours. That’s a remarkable achievement, and I am very proud of our team.” In addition to keeping employees safe on the job, UCM pro- motes a safety culture that extends beyond the workplace. “Our concern for employee health, safety and welfare goes be- yond our mining operations. If someone gets hurt at home, on the road, or participating in a recreational activity, we feel it at the mine and in the community too,” said Usibelli. UCM operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with heavy equipment in a remote area of Alaska. “When you consider the harsh environment that our miners operate in—wind, rain, snow, and 40 below—our employees have to be extremely diligent to work safely,” said Matt Nelson,
UCM human resources and safety director. To prevent injuries, UCM responds to safety suggestions using hazard recognition cards, holds regular safety meetings and trainings, promotes safe practices throughout all areas of the mine site and encour- ages employees to maintain clean and organized workspaces. The mine’s all-time safety record was set in 2006 at 797 days without a lost time accident. “We’ve set our sights on surpassing that number, because there is no higher priority than protecting our employees and their families,” Usibelli said. Founded in 1943 by Emil Usibelli, Usibelli Coal Mine is located near the town of Healy and is 115 miles south of Fairbanks and 250 miles north of Anchorage adjacent to the Parks Highway and Alaska Railroad. UCM currently has a workforce of 98 em- ployees and operates year-round. Mine production has grown from 10,000 tons in 1943 to approximately 1-million tons of coal per year. Currently the only operational coal mine in Alaska, UCM is sup- ported by the most modern mining equipment and state-of- the-art engineering. Today, UCM supplies coal to five Interior Alaska power plants and over the years has exported coal to Chile, South Korea, Japan and several other Pacific Rim desti- nations. For more information, visit www.usibelli.com.
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www.alaskaminers.org I The Alaska Miner I February 2019
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