Arch Resources
0.84
10 largest North American peers
2.48
During the past five years, Arch has averaged 0.87 lost-time incidents per 200,000 employee-hours worked, versus an average of 2.26 lost-time incidents for our 10 largest North American peers. In 2019, Arch averaged 0.84 lost-time incidents per 200,000 employee-hours worked, versus 2.48 for our 10 largest North American peers.
Across the organization, employees engage in a proactive, behavior-based approach to safety. Every field employee participates in safety training on an ongoing basis, and nearly 100 percent of our field employees have been trained as safety observers. If an at-risk behavior or a barrier to safe behavior is identified, employees are empowered to engage and to apply their training to resolve the potentially unsafe condition or practice immediately.
Paul A. Lang, CEO
Employee-Driven Safety Culture
1.25
million
A Commitment to Safety Excellence
50+
national and state
safety awards
While emphasis on at-risk behavior has resulted in further improvements in our safety performance, Arch has expanded its efforts to include procedures that have an elevated exposure to risk. Over the past seven years, our mining complexes have conducted Workplace Risk Assessment and Control (WRAC) evaluations. Participation in the WRAC process challenges employees who perform a job function regularly to conduct an in-depth, multi-level evaluation of the procedure in an effort to prevent the occurrence of future safety events. As potential hazards are identified, the group makes the necessary changes to the procedure, and those changes are documented and shared across the company. This type of evaluation provides employees with a forum to express potential risks they may encounter while completing their daily tasks — and to problem-solve as a team in order to adjust the procedure appropriately.
Arch’s operations maintain nine mine rescue teams that are highly trained in responding to a mining crisis. In the past five years, our rescue teams have achieved top finishes in local, state and national mine rescue competitions. Such competitions provide valuable opportunities to sharpen team skills, identify and adopt best practices, and gauge preparedness.
In addition, each of Arch’s underground mines is equipped with advanced rescue equipment, sophisticated communications and tracking systems, and underground refuge chambers equipped with oxygen canisters, water, food and other necessities.
Sentinels of Safety Award
7
Sentinels of Safety in past 10 years
In the past 10 years, Arch subsidiary operations have won seven Sentinels of Safety Awards, the nation’s most prestigious national award for mine safety. In the most recent awards season, Arch subsidiaries won the top safety awards in each of the four states in which the company operates.
During 2019, the Leer underground mine — the largest in Arch’s subsidiary portfolio — operated the entire year without a reportable incident. That’s an almost unprecedented achievement for an underground mine of Leer’s size and complexity. In total, the Leer mine operated more than 2 million consecutive employee-hours without a lost-time incident.
As part of Arch’s health and wellness programs, we offer a formal disease management program and tailored advice and coaching for a variety of health issues. In addition, company health fairs provide free health screenings for prevention and early detection.