Profession mine health and safety engineer

Mine health and safety engineers develop and implement systems and procedures to prevent employee injury and sickness, improve mine working conditions, reduce health and safety risks and prevent damage to equipment and property.

Personality Type

• Investigative / Realistic

Knowledge

• Geology

  Solid earth, rock types, structures and the processes by which they are altered.

• Mine safety legislation

  The laws, regulations and codes of practice relevant to safety in mining operations.

• Electricity

  Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.

Skills

• Prepare technical reports

  Prepare technical reports that describe results and processes of scientific or technical research, or assess its progress. These reports help researchers to keep up to date with recent findings.

• Prevent health and safety problems

  Identify safety and health issues and come up with solutions to prevent accidents.

• Investigate mine accidents

  Conduct investigation of mining accidents; identify unsafe working conditions and develop measures for improvement.

• Supervise staff

  Oversee the selection, training, performance and motivation of staff.

• Maintain records of mining operations

  Maintain records of mine production and development performance, including performance of machinery.

• Use a computer

  Utilise computer equipment or digital devices to facilitate quality control, data management, and communication. Follow instructions given by a computer programme, create computer files or documents.

• Address problems critically

  Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.

• Develop health and safety strategies in mining

  Develop strategies and procedures to manage health and safety in mining. Make sure procedures conform with national law as a minimum.

• Ensure compliance with safety legislation

  Implement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.

• Train employees in mine safety

  Organise mine safety training sessions for workers, supervisors and management.

• Manage emergency procedures

  React quickly in case of emergency and set planned emergency procedures in motion.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB