Any construction site presents unique challenges when it comes to safety and Mosaic’s K3 site has been no exception. Yet, despite a cold winter and excessively wet spring, the K3 project has clocked 1,000,000 man-hours — that’s 296 days, between August, 2011, and June, 2012 — with no lost time due to injury.

One million man-hours with no lost-time-Injury is good reason to celebrate. On Wednesday, July 4th, beginning at 5:30 a.m., the K3 project management team for Mosaic and the engineering construction and procurement company, Hatch, greeted everyone arriving on-site to personally thank them for their support of the project’s safety program and to invite them to a barbecue lunch at the S.N. Boreen Centre in Esterhazy at noon.

The K3 site has been transformed from basically an unprepared site to one that is in good shape, according to Paul, McMillen, Mosaic Esterhazy Expansion Program Manager. “Despite the challenges of two cold winters and two wet springs, the site is in good shape as we go into the headframe-slip-pour stage of the project,” he said. “The safety challenge now will be working at heights.”

Immediately following the construction of the headframe upward to a height of 374 feet, the focus of the K3 project will be on sinking the service shaft to a depth of more than 3,300 feet. “Sinking a shaft safely requires planning, planning, planning, then execution,” McMillen said.

Hatch Associate and K3 Deputy Project Manager Phil Charbonneau attributes the milestone safety record to dedication, hard work, and a belief in a common safety culture, on everyone’s part. During the barbecue luncheon, Charbonneau thanked the workers for the personal sacrifices that they make 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in a congested and fast-paced environment. “Thank you to your families as well, for the sacrifices they make while you are away from home,” he said.