SIMEC’s Iron Ore Emergency Response Team prove they’re up to any challenge

SIMEC’s Iron Ore Emergency Response Team prove they’re up to any challenge

In our industry, safety quite simply has to be at the core of everything we do. Internally, our safety vision is that “Every employee should be able to return home fit and well at the end of each workday. We believe that one injury is one too many.”

On the final weekend in March SIMEC Mining’s Iron Ore Emergency Response Team (ERT) fronted up to compete in the annual South Australian Mines Emergency Response Competition.

The idea? Go head-to-head against the best of the best in eight events over three days.

Our team, led by Daniel Cockroft and managed by Jason Carroll, also starred Andrew Gynell, Jackson Lewis, Ella Blackwell, Anthony Fowler, Alex Barns-Tripp, and Brendan Schwenke, and together, they put on a really good showing.

 In fact, the team won two of the events, securing the top prize for ‘Industrial Rescue’ and ‘Mass Casualty First Aid’, and placed in a few of the other categories.

The competition itself is designed and run by the South Australian Mines Emergency Response Committee (SAMERC), with assistance provided by the many volunteers who give up their time to help out.

SIMEC Mining is proud to contribute to the event, which relies on sponsorship from the industry, as a Sustainability sponsor.

All of the eight events (Theory, Fire Fighting, Breathing Apparatus Search and Rescue, Vertical Rescue, Road Crash Rescue, Industrial Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, and Mass Casualty First Aid)  are adjudicated by a panel of experts including Mines Rescue industry experts, SafeWork SA Mines Inspectors, and SAMERC committee members.

Across the weekend the SIMEC ERT competed against five other teams, two from Oz Minerals (Prominent Hill and Carrrapateena Operations), two from BHP (Olympic Dam 1 and Olympic Dam 2), and the Newcrest Mining Team, who were declared the overall competition winners.

Note: not real blood, it’s just a drill!

SIMEC Head of Health and Safety, Phillipa Weltner, praised the team adding,

 “What a great day! Watching the SIMEC Mining ERT team in action not only saving lives but learning new skills to bring back to our sites and wider voluntary ERT dedicated members.

To arrive on site to such positive feedback from so many people about the professionalism, skills and team work of our team was a really proud moment. Especially for a team who many only met each other a week ago. You really exceeded all expectations!!

 Special thanks to the leadership, support and passion of Jason Carroll and Steve Player who were integral to the successful outcomes we saw. And thanks to Tongai Nhakai and the Golding representatives! Congratulations to you all!”

The praise continued, with a SAMERC committee member sharing this feedback after the event,

“As you are aware the primary objective of the SAMERC is to provide education and training through realistic and practical scenarios overseen by highly experienced leaders in the mines rescue community. This particularly has been demonstrated by the SIMEC team. In observing the teams this year it is very pleasing to see the significant improvement in the SIMEC ERT, culminating in the SIMEC Team winning the Industrial Rescue and Mass Casualty First Aid scenarios, a fantastic achievement and one the SIMEC and Golding Contractors teams should be very proud of”.

A huge congratulations to the entire SIMEC ERT – thanks for being such terrific ambassadors for our business, our commitment to safety, and for Whyalla in general!

To see more from the event, you can check out the Facebook page.

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