Knowing Your Audience Paper

Knowing Your Audience Paper

Yuma N. Vuono

BCOM 275

April 29, 2013

Todd Breton

Knowing Your Audience Paper

In early August 2010, a gold and copper mine located in the northern area of Copiapo in Chile, collapsed trapping 33 miners more than 2,400 feet below the surface (Franklin, 2010). Also known as San Jose, the mine reportedly had a history of accidents and forced shutdowns for safety violations ("Chile Mining Accident (2010)," 2011). Owners, La Campania Minera San Esteban Primera, failed to make safety improvements and continued to operate the mine, endangering the miners' lives. Rescue efforts began immediately, although it would take seventeen before the rescuers could verify there were any survivors and begin funneling hydration gels, food, water, toiletries, bibles, soccer videos for entertainment and letters from families down to sustain the miners. All 33 miners spent 69 days in their hot and humid refuge, which could have been their tomb, before emerging one by one from the narrow escape shaft (Illiano & Wade, 2010). The miners survived over two months because they organized, gathered food and water supplies, kept the environment sanitary, and exercised to stay in good health.

Despite the safety precautions at job sites, accidents often occur and employees may be injured or killed. The keys to managing emergency crises are preparedness, organization, and diligence. OSHA has strict regulations requiring companies to have emergency action plan (EAP) procedures in place to appropriately facilitate and organize employer and employee actions during emergencies and to report accidents involving three or more employees and fatalities within eight hours (Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OHSA), 2002). An ideal comprehensive EAP should include:

• preferred methods of reporting various levels of emergencies

• facility evacuation policy including emergency escape procedures and route assignments

• internal contact information for the facility employees including emergency contact information and corporate officers

• emergency shutdown procedures for operations

• assignment of rescue and medical duties

• alternate communication centers and designated assembly areas

During catastrophic accidents or fatalities, the mining company should be prepared to communicate with at three distinct audiences initially, the other employees, the public, and most importantly, the victim's families.