Abstract

Moderators:  Susan Eick, Managing Director, Refinery; Julia Gartley, VP, Health, Safety and Sustainability, BBA Engineering

The focus on psychological safety in mining has been gaining attention in the industry. An absence of psychological safety in the workplace can be a major contributor to increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression for mining workers who, according to a 2019 mining mental health study, reported experiencing significantly higher rates of psychological distress, compared to workers in other industries. But, how does a lack of psychological safety contribute to physical safety issues?

While there are a variety of systems in place to prevent accidents from occurring, including mandatory safety training programs, simulation tests and up-to-date safety legislation and standards, many mining organizations are still experiencing a rise in critical safety incidents. 

In this facilitator-led roundtable discussion, we will be examining the effects of psychological safety on physical safety in the workplace. The facilitators will present key facts about the correlation between psychological safety and physical safety and will ask insightful questions to generate meaningful conversations among participants, including:

1. Has your organization discussed the topic of psychological safety in the workplace? What have been the outcomes of these conversations?
2. How do you know if your organization has a psychologically safe environment? What are some signals that may indicate you have a problem?
3. What have you done in your organization to promote psychological safety when reporting safety issues on site?
4. In your opinion and experience, what role does leadership play in fostering a culture of safety within the workplace? 
5. Can you share any lessons learned from past incidents or near misses, and how have these lessons influenced your approach to safety protocols?
6. What ways have you leveraged technology to enhance workplace safety, and what specific tools or systems have proven effective?
7. How do you balance production and performance goals with safety goals and messaging? 

Participants will leave this conversation with a broader perspective of what factors contribute to psychological safety issues as well as ideas on how to identify issues before they become incidents.

Facilitating this conversation will be Julia Gartley, VP of Health, Safety and Sustainability for BBA Engineering and Susan Eick, Managing Director of Refinery, a Vancouver-based leadership development consulting firm. Julia and Susan are both passionate about workplace safety and its effects on a company’s culture, brand and employee engagement.