Safety

Safety begins with a solid foundation of knowledge and best practices. Quality training is our first line of defense against hazards to our employees. Armed with adequate training and sufficient knowledge of hazards they might face, our employees are able to mitigate hazards before they harm themselves or a fellow employee. Each Pontotoc employee undergoes 24 hours of health and safety training within the first 90 days of employment. This training includes but is not limited to topics such as: 

•         Safe work procedures 
•         Common health hazards around the mine 
•         Industry-standard protective measures
•         Mine hazard recognition 
•         Standard emergency procedures, including first aid
•         Personal protection best practices, including hearing conservation, respiratory protection, and required personal protection equipment

Employee protection is paramount, whether an employee is running a piece of equipment or making repairs in the plant. Safety should always be our first step. We have several measures in place to ensure safety comes first. Workplace examinations are completed at the beginning of the shift to analyze the work area for hazards, pre-operation inspections of equipment are performed to ensure our machines are safe to operate, and our Job Safety Analysis worksheets allow workers to talk through the job step by step. These are just a few of the ways we prioritize safety. We are committed to dedicating time and resources to ensure safety is at the forefront of every job.

Silica sand mining has doubled over the past decade as hydraulic fracture gas and oil extraction becomes more popular and mines expand across North America. This means frac sand producers like Pontotoc need to balance increased demand for a very specific product with its environmental impact and the impact it has on the surrounding area. We pay close attention to the noise, lights, hours of operation, traffic, and dust our mine produces.