Engineering and Mining Journal - Whether the market is copper, gold, nickel, iron ore, lead/zinc, PGM, diamonds or other commodities, E&MJ takes the lead in projecting trends, following development and reporting on the most efficient operating pr
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O P E R AT I N G S T R AT E G I E S meal requirements that must be considered to provide a safe and efficient worker environment. In a recently released white paper, author Christopher Wanjek explores these remote-site worker-comfort issues in the context of "The Economics of Comfort," a trademarked worker-accommodation strategy developed by the paper's sponsor, Target Logistics Management LLC. The paper examines factors that affect worker health, safety and productivity in remote worksites 140 E&MJ; • APRIL 2013 and provides a rationale of how better catering and relaxation programs can increase productivity and lower accident rates. Wanjek writes, "Workers at remote and temporary worksites are a diverse crew. They might be college-educated engineers. They might be high-school educated bluecollar workers. They are likely men, but they are often (and increasingly) women. But they often have one thing in common: They likely are leaving their families and the comforts of home for hard work and long hours. For most workers at remote sites, anything the company can do to relieve the stress of long hours and great distances will be a plus for worker health and morale and, by extension, for company safety and productivity. "Successful food and housing programs at remote worksites—where 'successful' means high morale, high productivity, low absenteeism, low turnover and few, if any, serious accidents—have a few key ingredients: • CEOs or upper management that truly care about worker safety and health on and off the job. • Thoughtful catering that takes into consideration the nutritional needs (and not just tastes) of the workforce. • Easy access to recreational activities. • Opportunities to relax with co-workers. • The feeling of a home away from home, as opposed to a bunker away from home. Catering will vary, but the daily menu must find a balance between tasty and healthy. Often meal programs strive for the former and not the latter. "Consider the unique nutritional needs of a heavy laborer at a drilling site. Most workers will burn more than 300 kcal/hr. Fast-food or a carbohydrate diet can leave the worker hungry or weak after just a few hours on the job. In general, the body in manual labor requires 1.2-1.7 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. The B-complex vitamins, found in meats and whole grains, are needed for tissue repair and energy conversion. Vitamins A and C, found in vegetables, are needed for immunity. Vitamin D, found in fatty fish (and sunshine, if available), is needed for calcium absorption. "Some enterprises also take into consideration the long-term health of the worker. Certain Canadian mining operations, for example, prepare special meals of whole foods (whole grains, vegetables, wild game) for a workforce largely comprising of indigenous workers of the First Nations, who suffer disproportionally from diabetes compared with the rest of the nation. "The bottom line is that on-the-job weakness and fatigue translate to lower productivity and more accidents," Wanjeck notes. Although site specific comfort considerations can vary, the "heart of the matter is a feeling of 'hominess,'" he explains. "Every comfortable bed, soft pillow, warm shower, lively pool room, exercise facility, clean laundry facility etc. will engender loyalty and good morale, and reduce the www.e-mj.com