Workers Trapped after Chilean Copper Mine Collapse - Research Paper Example

? WORKERS TRAPPED AFTER CHILEAN COPPER MINE COLLAPSE According to Whelchel and Dauble, Chile, mine collapse that happened on 5 August 2010 trapped over thirty workers inside the mine (2011). The workers in Chile were working at the gold and copper San Esteban mines, near Copiapo city when the mine collapsed. The mine was about 300meteres deep from the ground surface. As the excavation process continued to rescue the trapped workers, another collapse happened two days later hence, halting the rescue process. Therefore, the process became more challenging and the government of Chile had to be very careful on the information communicated from the collapsed San Esteban mine. The rescue team had to drill another shaft to get into the miners. After, two months of drilling since the collapsed of the mine the rescue team managed to get into the trapped miners. Although, the conditions were unbearable the miners did all they could to remain alive while waiting to be rescued. Moreover, the government provided liquid food like milk to the mines to sustain the health condition of each person. The collapse of San Esteban mine was tragic and distressing mainly to the affected families. Thus, a communication design had to be in place to address the issue to the public and affected families. The government of Chile and San Esteban Mining Company had to filter the information that gets into the world about the disaster. Whelchel and Dauble indicate that the company has to deliver information in two main ways (2011). This is because of the existence of people with difference roles in the group and the having the audience in mind. Firstly, the information should be to the families and workers and secondly to the employees and press. As a result, delivering information with these audiences in mind will ensure most people receive the message as the company and the government intended. Therefore, the information released to the families has to be accurate and true to avoid later mental disasters to the family. Moreover, the company also has to sustain the good reputation to the public since Chile is one of the major copper producing countries. The potential need of the families of the mines will be to know if the trapped member will come out safely and the length of time the rescuing process. Therefore, Whelchel and Dauble indicate that the mining company has the responsibility to inform the families of the trapped workers about the happenings and proceedings taking place to rescue the trapped workers. The information will help address the potential need of the families of the mine. The potential need of the employees while receiving the information is to know the chances of survival of the trapped workers. More so to help trace the records of the workers trapped in the mine and stand in solidarity with the company leaders. This will help in the process of rescuing and identifying of the affected families. Before delivering the message about the collapsed San Esteban mine, the company should first know the number of workers trapped and have the list of the workers in the mine. The company would call an impromptu board meeting to explain to the internal management team about the disaster that has just happened and lay strategies of rescuing the trapped people. This will help in the clarity of the issues. Durham describes that before delivering information about the mine accident the company needs to know the ways of delivering information to the employees and the affected families (2011). This will help calm and reassure the families and employees and increase the peoples trust in the company rescuing process. Since, the collapse of the mine is a disaster that has affected the country, the government of Chile has to get the first hand information from the mining company before the information about the accident is officially released to other people, The focus of both the company and government will be on the action taken after the release information about the accident. The company could take the employees to the site of the accident for each person to see clearly on the point of communication. Therefore, the company can manage to win the trust of the employees and incorporate some of them in rescuing process. After the affected families receive the news, it will to transporting the families to the site to reassure the families’ one on one. In addition, the government assurance to the nation after the accident become public will be important. The government involvement in the disaster will reassure that the government will do all possible to rescue the people. Valencia posits that face-to-face communication from the company announcing the accident to the families of the trapped miners is important (2012). ‘The San Esteban Mining Company has encountered a tragic accident at our mines on the 5 August 2010. According to the company’s record, more than thirty workers trapped in the mine were on duty on this fateful day. The accident has been of detrimental impact to nation, company, employees, and the families of the trapped people. We have conducted different rescued team to come join with our team to help rescue the miners in due time. The process of rescue became more challenging when the rare exit shaft of the mine also collapsed during the efforts of rescuing the miners. However, the challenging situations the rescue team suspects the miners are still alive. As a company with the help of the government, we are doing everything to ensure, the health of the trapped workers remains good by supplying the trapped workers food through the mine ventilation holes to sustain them until the end of the drilling process when we can reach them. I want to assure every family affected all efforts are in place to ensure we take the shortest time possible to finish this process because the status of the people trapped in the mind is our focus. Therefore, we beseech the families that they have their people trapped to send them positives messages especially in papers to reassure them hence enhancing their mental health status.’ Although, the best way do communication in most companies employees is through email and memos, when such an accident happens face-to-face communication from the management team is important. ‘For many years, we have worked together and cooperatively to ensure the success of San Esteban Mining Company and the company recommends every employee for such a spirit. Teamwork and good relationship with each other has been our key area of concentration. Today, on the 5 August 2010 it is a saddening day for us all in San Esteban Mining Company. We have encountered an accident where one of the mining shafts collapsed trapping more than thirty employees inside. We have contacted rescue teams and they are at the mining site where the rescuing process is ongoing. However, the process, meant to take a shorter time, may take a while to complete because the rare shaft also collapsed. Therefore, the rescuing team has to drill another hole that will go as deep as about 300metres to reach the trapped workers. We ask all of us to remain together and pray for the trapped people to come out of the tragedy alive. We request all of us to keep the conduct of the company and only the management team will give out information about the ongoing process to the public or press’ In conclusion, strategies used in communication when an accident occurs are important. Having the different roles of audience and knowing the way to address the situation on the ground will relieve the affected families from so much agony. Therefore, addressing the employees and the affected families is critical in such occurrence. Although, the company needs to maintain the reputation, information released must be true and accurate with the .When such tragedy happens the affected family’s needs reassurance about the state of their people hence that should be done carefully and systematically. References Durhan, B. (2011). Chile Mine Collapse. Studymode. Retrieved 30 Sept. 2013 from . Valencia, C. (2012). Chile Mine Collapse. Studymode. Retrieved 30 Sept. 2013 from . Whelchel, . & Dauble, D. (2011). “Over 30 Workers Trapped After Chilean Copper Mine Collapse” Article Found in the Electronic Reserve Readings. Studymode. Retrieved 30 Sept. 2013 from . Read More