I recently gave a short presentation to a group of lead men concerning their responsibilities under the Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. In that lecture, I pointed out some of the negative consequences that could result from failure to take those responsibilities seriously. Two key points made during that presentation are responsibilities and authority.

All new employees are provided instruction in the rights and responsibilities of miners and their representatives under the Mine Act. Knowing the responsibilities and authority of supervisors also are required. We generally include a review of these topics in our annual refresher courses. These are difficult topics to teach, and they are taught inconsistently.

The concepts of responsibility and authority are rightfully linked in the act, but not in the dictionary. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines responsibility as “the quality or state of being responsible: as a: moral, legal or mental accountability; b: reliability, trustworthiness.”

To get the true meaning, one must also consult the root word responsible.

1a: liable to be called on to answer; b(1): liable to be called to account as the primary cause, motive or agent … (2): being the cause or explanation … c: liable to legal review or in case of fault to penalties 2a: able to answer for one's conduct and obligations … b: able to choose for oneself between right and wrong 3: marked by or involving responsibility or accountability … 4: politically answerable …”

Authority in this application is defined as:

“… 2a: power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior …”

Responsibility is all about outcomes. A production supervisor is responsible for production results. A maintenance supervisor is responsible for equipment downtime.

Authority is all about accomplishment. It is one of the tools provided by management for the purpose of affecting outcomes. A production supervisor is given the authority to schedule personnel, assign equipment and generally direct production. A maintenance supervisor is given the authority to schedule personnel, remove equipment from service, purchase parts, etc.

So, how does safety factor in? Supervisors and lead men, have certain responsibilities associated with safety. They are responsible for finding and correcting hazards; for ensuring that safe work procedures are followed; for providing or requiring tools and equipment (including personal protective equipment) to perform work safely; for compliance with rules; and for the ultimate outcome — prevention of injuries. Some say that responsibility is not something that can be assigned, rather, it must be taken or accepted. The fact is that management and regulatory agencies assign responsibility based on one's position in the company. So, when a miner accepts that supervisor or lead-man position, he or she also accepts, knowingly or unknowingly, the attached responsibility.

Assuming that those responsibilities are understood and accepted, problems arise when there is an imbalance between responsibility and authority. One would not expect a mechanic to repair a loader with only a screwdriver, and one should not expect a supervisor to operate without access to corresponding authority. Where that authority is limited, management must provide an avenue for access to the person with a higher level of authority — someone with the authority to purchase, hire, discipline, discharge, etc. In those cases, the supervisor or lead man must initiate that hands-off by asking for help. Management must ease that transition. So, when action is required and authority to act is restricted, the responsibility for that action will be easily transferred to the person with the necessary authority.

This leads me to the point I was making with the lead-men. To meet your statutory and moral responsibilities, you must exercise authority to protect the rights and safety of miners under your influence. When that authority is insufficient, you are obligated to pass that responsibility on to the next level of supervision or management. Whatever the problem may be, be sure that those with the ability to solve the problem also have the authority to do so.

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Randy K. Logsdon, CMSP, is manager of safety for Intrepid Potash New Mexico operations. He has practiced safety on both the coal and metal/non-metal side of mining for more than 30 years. Randy is a Certified Mine Safety Professional. He can be reached at Rklogsdon@mac.com