The latest winners of KCGM’s quarterly Safety Innovation Award have chosen to donate $4,000 each to Radio Lollipop, Red Cross Soup Patrol and the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Men’s Shed.
L-R: KCGM External Relations Officer Tamera Sharp, Radio Lollipop Volunteer Michele Robinson, KCGM Komatsu Maintenance Planner Michael Stead.
Announced quarterly, the Safety Innovation Awards are designed to improve safety culture by recognising and rewarding individuals or teams that have implemented safety innovation ideas that eliminate or minimise risks on site.
The winning individual or team then nominates a local community organisation to receive a $12,000 safety donation.
KCGM General Manager Cecile Thaxter said this final quarter’s three winners for 2018 chose to donate to much-needed community groups in the lead up to the Christmas season.
“These awards not only drive improvements in our safety culture, but also demonstrate KCGM’s commitment to the local community.
“Each of the donation recipients play an important role in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and this is our way of thanking them for the tireless work they do,” Ms Thaxter said.
With the number and quality of nominations received, there were three winners tied for last quarter’s award: the Komatsu team, the process maintenance team, and the Mount Charlotte underground team.
The Komatsu team developed a hydraulic breakdown kit to remove the need for workers to be in the line of fire during repair of shovel hydraulic systems and developed a simple but effective system of using a remote viewing tool to measure rotational speeds.
The process maintenance team sourced a safer and more efficient tool for the removal and installation of liners on the crusher and had a new platform designed to make chain installation safer at the crusher.
The Mount Charlotte underground team engineered a lifting tool to reduce manual handling and sourced a stope pusher which has made clearing of the blasting bench safer and more efficient.
Radio Lollipop Charity Coordinator Melissa Sparta-Dawes said the money will be of great benefit to the Kalgoorlie Hospital.
“Radio Lollipop is made up of volunteers who provide care, comfort, play and entertainment for sick children in hospitals.
“Funds donated from this venture will ensure that our music program continues to reach the children and their families on the children’s ward at Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital and ensure that the cupboards are stocked with craft, prizes and games,” Ms Sparta-Dawes said.
The Kalgoorlie Men’s Shed plan to use the donation to upgrade their recreation area, including purchasing new tables and chairs where members can sit, relax and talk; while the Red Cross said their donation would go towards the cost of cups, gloves, bags, fuel and maintenance of the soup van as it operates three nights a week year-round.