SAFEX Newsletter No.35 - EU-Excert

More documents

Recommendations

Info

SAFEX Newsletter No.35, 4 th Qtr. 2010 4 Know the Expert Panel The Expert Panel comprises individuals who were nominated by members and approved by the Board. Such an individual must be associated with the explosives industry and have acquired expertise in specific fields. He must also be willing to make the same available to SAFEX members on a commercial basis which is agreed between the expert and the member. SAFEX merely “connects” the Expert and the Member who has a need and does not get involved in the detail arrangements. To access the services of a SAFEX Expert, a client Member accurately defines the need it wishes the Expert to address. This requirement is captured in a Brief which is e-mailed or faxed to the Secretary General. The Member will be notified of the details of Experts that could meet this need. It is then up to the Member to select an Expert and enter into an agreement directly with him. PERSONAL Position: Owner and Principal Consultant Company: Greenice Pty Ltd Location: Sydney, Australia Education: BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD – Cape Town Affiliations: PDMA (USA) Languages: English MICHAEL DU PLESSIS AEL: ICI: AEL: CAREER OUTLINE Explosives Research Scientist Senior Research Scientist Accessories Research Mgr. IES (J.V. EBCo & ICI): Technical Mgr. Orica Australia: Project Mgr Electronic Blasting Systems EXPERTISE • Non electric detonator systems (product and process technology) • Electronic blasting systems (technologies and field applications) • Safety review of explosives operations and risk management • Explosives licensing and regulatory compliance • Security Sensitive Ammonium Nitrate issues • R&D and Technology Management • Carbon footprint calculations for Greenhouse Gas emissions TYPICAL ASSIGNMENTS 2006: HAZOP and audit of bulk explosives manufacture, Quin Investments, South Australia. 2006 – 2008: Advice on effective technology management processes for major Gold Mining Group, Australia. 2006– 2008: Licence application for TNT cast melt plant for Applied Explosives Technology Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia. 2007 – 2010: Development of Safety Management Plan and negotiation of operating licence for Bevex Pty Ltd., Darwin Australia. 2010: Review initiating explosives technology in China for investors.
SAFEX Newsletter No.35, 4 th Qtr. 2010 5 Feedback from the Boardroom The SAFEX Board of Governors met in Orlando, FL early in February this year. The focus of the Meeting was a review of the SAFEX Strategy. We have already summarised the Board’s approach to developing strategy and the process it used. It consisted of establishing the Association’s MISSION, determining its VALUES and then agreeing a VISION. The outcome will be STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES followed by TARGETS and ACTION PLANS. These are concepts with which member companies are familiar. In the last Newsletter we discussed how the Strategy Survey in which members participated influenced the SAFEX Value System. In this edition we want to focus on one of the important outcomes of the SAFEX Strategy, namely the proposed Explosives Operations Management Development (XOMD) Course. Development of explosives operations management is a strategic focus Development of managers at all levels in explosives operations is one of the specific outcomes of the proposed SAFEX strategy. The Board feels so strongly about the issue that it has not waited for the SAFEX strategy to be finalised before going ahead with its plans. To that end a Steering Committee with Noel Hsu (Orica) as convener was established. Its task is to look at the design and implementation of a training course that focuses on explosives line management competencies in the areas of Leadership, Culture and Systems. While the target audience will be line managers in explosives operations, HS&E professionals will be equally welcome. At the end of the Course participants must be better equipped for their role and able to contribute directly to the bottom line through improved HS&E performance. It was envisaged that the course content will be compiled from member companies’ training material. The Steering Committee arranged a Workshop comprising representatives from a crosssection of SAFEX member companies. SAFEX members such The Course targets explosives managers – at all levels The fundamental need identified in the Strategy Survey was the quality of leadership in explosives operations. In the past explosives operations managers grew up in the industry. They had years of experience before assuming their leadership roles. Unfortunately, few companies have this luxury today. The problem is compounded by the fact that explosives companies are often obliged to bring managers at all levels into these roles from outside the industry. The question we face is how well operations managers are equipped for their role in today’s explosives industry. The Course is aimed at all levels of managers involved in running explosives operations. If you want a crash course in the essentials of running an explosives plant you need to take this Course seriously. It is not for plant managers only but for leaders at all levels involved with explosives operations regardless of their size. Managers from small and large companies will benefit from this Course. Course design Workshop held in London as AEL Mining Services, Austin Powder Company, Dyno Nobel, Orica Mining Services and Poudrerie d’Aubonne were already represented on the Steering It’s all in the name (so they say) When a child is born, one of the first things parents have to do is to give the child a name. It is a serious responsibility as the child has to carry that name for the rest of his or her life. There are many stories about children who were saddled with impossible names that embarrassed them for the rest of their lives. In the same way we are looking for a name for the SAFEX Explosives Operations Management Development (XOMD) Course we are designing. This is a clumsy name and not that appealing. Therefore, we ask our readers to propose something better; something that will stir the imagination and help us market the Course. Some of the key concepts of the Course include EXPLOSIVES; LEADERSHIP; OPERATIONS; TOOLS; A NEW LEVEL; etc. As “parents” the Board wants to do the right thing for this “child” – the XOMD Course. Please, help us with a suitable name? The Secretariat is anxious to hear from you. Committee together with Andy Begg. It was felt the Workshop should also include military explosives manufacturers, smaller member companies and any other
Page 1 and 2: SAFEX Newsletter No.35, 4 th Qtr. 2
Page 3: SAFEX Newsletter No.35, 4 th Qtr. 2

SAFEX Newsletter No.35 - EU-Excert

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?