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December 1995 Ontario Division Vol 54, No 11

2 December 1995

Leàékàfliembài EmGravelln LaUI4erChartrand, aatoflDesgroe1uIers and shift boss Bob Nerpin taketime out at thebreakthrough point to greet MeCreedy Est development coordinator Rick Godin and geologist Bob Banks (inset).

Breakthrough Christmas at McCreedy E

B ôñg on for Chr1stmasuActtlolly, we came in acouple of weeks early,

safely, on budget and on tar-get,' sold Mccreedy East de-

:iopment coordinator RickGOdin as be climbed a pile ofColeman rock to greet theLevack crew standing neittto ascooptramitia driftdrlven fromLevack.

Dec 4,1995wlllgodownlnO:frOPs history- books That'siwheiiLevack crews brokethráugh to the McCreedy EastiS haulae romp to completethe3,95O-fbot etuu air drift.It also morkdthè lost day of atwo-year project critical toMcCrEedy East productiohWhich is scheduled to beginriet spring

"Wéhöd to be dOnebèforeChrlstXiioL December 20 wasthe plan," said Rick "The excavitlon needed to be finishedto ensure that ventilationthcdiftcatiàns, chóngeoversand other *orkcrlticol to theproject could be done"

The bkthriiqhmákésittheoretically possible to traveltheslxkflónitred1stonce fromMcCreedy West to Coleman inthe dead of winter In shirt-s1eee . undérground

"You cøuld take the jeepdowntheMcCreedyWestrampto the 1,550-foot level, take therails to the Levack 1,600 leveland go down the cage to

Levack's 3,600-foot level. Thenyou could catch a train to thetop of the 153 return air driftand go b jeep throughMcCreedy East to Coleman's3,370-foot level from where it'sjust a short trip to surface ontheColeman cage."

The project's scope im-pressed even veteran miners.

"When I began on thisproject two years ago I wasn'tused to a lot of the equipmenthere," said Levack minerGaston .Desgroseilliers. "Ittook some time to get used to itall and at first I had a hardtime with drilling. It took usabout six months before wegot used to It. But once weôtfamiliar with Itwe were fly1ngWe caught up and surpassedour targets."

He said that at first therewas some doubt that it couldbe done. "But we talked Itthrough and people listenedto what we had to say. Thecooperation was not onlyamong us here but withColeman and McCreedy Eastpeople. We had good commu-nications with everybody onthis project."

The achievement was noordinary one, according toMcCreedy East project man-ager Don Gibson. "We budg-eted for 9.5 feet a day and wecame in at 9.52 a day. In 1995the Levack crew advanced 10.7

feet a day and in April of 1995we averaged an impressive12.9 feet a day."

The figures are even moreimpressive, said Rick, whenconsidering the extremely longtramming distances-3,600 feetat the breakthrough point-that the rock had to be movedfor dispersal with onescooptram.

"Usually we move muck• maybe a couple of hundredfeet," said Levack minerEmmett Graveline. "On thisjob It was a lot longer. We hadto constantly pick it up andmove It out of the way, to an-other place, but eventually weworked out a pretty good sys-tem to make it work. We knewthatthe time elementwas criti-cal and that any snag could

- slow us up."More than the return air

drift was a consideration.The Levack crews driving

the drift consisted mainly ofsenior Inca people, said Rick,many of them having notworked on development for anumber of years. "But they gotright on board with this project.They proved we've got the bestpeople In the business."

Communications and theteam approach remained amajor factor for the entireproject. "We started off at aslower pace but we began work-ing together, working out theNudging the big wheels at McCreedy East.

The Triangle 3

A welder re-attachesthefiVà it.et sections that make up the box of a new electrictruck that will carry 55 tons of McCreedy East ore at a time. The truck had to bedismantled and cut Into sections that would fit In the cage for the trIp below. TheInset Is the view from outside looking In the garage.

problems as a group. We helda number of Total Quality Im-provement meetings and prob-lem-solving sessions. As wegained more experience andgot used to working together,we caught up and even sur-passed our goals."

Levack crews consisted es-sentially of the same nine peo-ple for the two-year project.

"We ran three shifts herefive days a week. Our guysgave this thing 100 per cent,"

at an impressive average of9.5 feet a day, our guys had tobring their own supplies down,they had to be their owncagetenders. Travel distanceswere up to 8,000 feet round-trip. Despite that these guyskept ahead of schedule."

He said that trammersBruce McKee and Red Paynenot only trammed the wasterock, but initially had to hoistit as well.

George is pleased at the

ing more than that?The Levack crews consisted

of foreman Bill Card and crew,Terry Elnarson, Denissylvainand Leo Mallette who startedwith the project but was re-placed by Gaston Obumsawlnfor the last six months.

The second crew Indudedforeman Joe Beynen and AndyRoy, Bill Kirkham and Guythmarche.

The third crew numberedforeman Bob Nerpin, Laurier

Development miner Guy Pichette loads a hole withexplosives from a bulk loader platform.

said mine superintendent crews' safetyperformance. "No Chartrand, Emmett A relatively smooth engineered roadbed and overheadGeorge Aniol. significant injuries. A bruised Graveline and Gaston ladder-like trolley line mark the route of the huge

- UM well as driving the drift shin, dust in the eye, but noth- Desgroseilliers. electric truck that will haul ore at McCreedy East.

Geologist Bob Banks grades the face where miners are preparing an ore body acceOpoint.

4 December 1995

!WFThe team responsible for' removing the Frood cageposed In front of the Frood headframe and theremoved cage. From left (rear) are maintenance leaderRoger Ranger, maintenance foreman Duncan Ross andindustrial mechanic John Harper. Kneeling areindustrial mechanics Guy Guerrette and ClaudeLachance.

F rood miners are astough as any miner yetemotion was evident on

the faces of the crew that dis-mantled the end of a Froodera.

"1 have a lot of good memo.ties here," said industrial me-chanic John Harper. "I get alittle nostalgic even as I'm tak-ing this thing apart."

John was part of a teamthat unofficially ended the lastremaining direct route to un-derground Frood drifts whenthey dismantled the rigging,cables, huge pins and othergear before removing the cagefrom Frood's No. 3 shaft latelast month.

Although about 160 peo-ple still mine Frood ore, accessis now provided by ramp andby the Stobie 1,400 level thatconnects to Frood.

For many proud Frood min-ers, the cage's removal unoffi-cially marks the end of themine as it was for almost acentury.

In more than two decadesat the mine, John has seenmany trips in the No. 3 shaftcage. "A lot of friends workedhere. It was a good place withgood people."

Industrial mechanic GuyGuerrette. began working. as.a Frood miner in 1970 andremained at the mine for allbut his mechanic apprentice-ship training. "I've been up

and down in riè No.. 3 shaftcage mclnyfr many times o'v'er.the years. ItookmylastridelnOctober. It's kind of sad to seeit end. I remember going be-low with full cages of miners.There were three shifts and

*esMLThereweiaround 1,000 people workinghere at that time and this placewas very busy.

"As you take this thingapart you can't help but thinkof all those people, all thefriends.who tookthis cage withyou for all those years."

Guy served on the minerescue team at Frood for 12years. "I fought many fires inthe 'low country," he said."That's what we called thepillar area. There was highgrade ore in there and to get atit a lot of timber support hadto be used. I think there w.asenough timber to rebuild Sud-bury from the ground up."

Guy Qridllo* industrialmechanic Claude Lathancewere the last two Industrialmechanics to service * andhelp finally remove -the cage.

Claude has moved aroundduring his 21 Inco years andhas been at Frood for barely ayear. He took the last ride onthe cage the week before thedismantling. He said he un-derstands how people can beemotional about such things.

Perhaps no one has familyroots as deep into Frood asindustrial mechanic BrianWright. His grandfather,Math Lahti, was shift boss for20 years and his father Albertworked as a miner at Frood for

38 years. "My uncle, BobElliott, was also a miner atFrood for 38 years."

Brian broke the tradition.He's never mined and hasbeen at Frood for only the lastfour years.

"My great-grandfather,Ned Armstrong, wasn't aFrood miner as far as I know.But he was in charge of sink-ing the Garsonshaftin 1907."

Mechanic leader RogerRanger said that althoughhe's removed and installed "afew cages in my time," hedoesn't consider it a routinejob..

"When you move ninetons of steel cage out of a tight

Cage removal ends .an ërä at hood

Claude Lachance holds the steel cable while John Harper cuts It.

Roger Ranger and Claude Lachance remove the pinfrom the top of the 'banked' cage to disconnect thecable from the cage.

space like that, you've got tobe very careful and you've gotto have good people like theseguys to help you do it," hesaid.

Said surface mechanicalforeman Duncan Ross: "I satdown with our people and wediscussed different ways of do-ing it and decided togetherhow it should go and whatthey needed to do the job. I

rely on these guys for theirexperience. They're the peo-ple who have to do it."

The Frood site was 'staked'by Thomas Frood in 1884 andwas purchased by the Cana-than Copper Company twoyears later. The sinking of thefirst shaft was begun in 1900.The Mond Nickel Companybegan sinking No. 4 shaft inl9llanditwasdownto 1,000

feet three years later.About 100,000 tons of ore

was removed from open pitsbetween 1900 and 1903.

In 1911 IncotookoverNo.1 shaft - an incline shaft that,went down at a 77-degree an-gle - and began work on No.3 shaft in 1926.

When Mond amalga-mated with Inco in 1929, theytook over No. 4 shaft which

was down to 3,350 feet."The combined hoist from

the shafts in 1937 was 12,000tons of ore a day," said RogerFoümier. "That was an all-time record not broken until1973. The schedule today is3,400 tons."

Installed only four yearsago, the cage will be tested forwear to find out if it is in goodshape for possible use at other

The cage Is dragged outside after removal.

The Triangle 5

mines.Frood has the distinction

of being the only mine left inoperation when the GreatDepression forced Inco toclose all of its other mines in1932.

In 1989 Frood Mine wonthe John 1. Ryan award, anational trophy awarded inrecognition of noteableachievements in safe mining.

Roger Ranger connects slings to the bottom of the cage for removal by aane

Guy Guerrette and Claude Lachance pull the slack cableout of the shaft.

6 December 1995

IncO celebrates ChristmasPPO kit/s eagerfor Santa

One-year-old Patrick Lefebvre son of plant proteétlonofficer Suzanne Lefebvre, gets Santa's attentlofl

At 6 mànths, Coàrtneyfinds a comfortable andenterprising place to sit.:She's the daughter ofplant protection officerRuth Ferguson and Incosummer staffer ScottFerguson.

Alex Eldie, 2 takes a look around whilegrandmother Diane Patterson tidies up.Diane Is ó plant protection officer.

Santa anives at tiProtection party.

North & South Mine/party a success1w

-4.

ii

The Copper Cliff Mines Association Christmas Party wasa smashing success, thanks In no small part to thevolunteers who slaved in the kitchen. From left areEileen Martin, wife of South Mine's Doug Martin; NorthMine development miner Bruce Gauthier; Bruce's wifeDianne Gauthier and Tammy Anderson, daughter ofSouth Mine mechanic Archie Anderson.

Candy canes are fine, butat nine monthS old0 ErinMaloney prefers herthumb. She's seen herewith her dad, South Minemine foreman ElmMaloney at the Copper'Cliff MInes AssociatiOnChristmas Party.

•.

te Fielding Park pavilion for the Plant

Kendell McBride, 4, basksin Santa's attention aftershe sang him a Christmascarol. She's the daughterof South Mine engineer.Rick McBride.

The Triangle 7

Benefits' DaveBradley does hiskdAstaeImpersonation aswife Olga humorshim.

OccupationalMedicinesuperintendent PamTobin shows off herdale, her young-looking and high-stepping fatherRichard Tobin, anInco pensioner.

:AtIeft, Coleman cagetender Joe Borque and hiswlfeAngleharnltupatthe Coleman party.At right, holstman NormBrazeau and wife Yvonneat the Coleman party.

Having a good timeat the ColemanChristmas party aredevelopment minerPaul Lachepelie,loader blaster NormRivard,development minerArt Severence, SilvieRivard, Mrs. P.Lachapelle,. SuePeilerIn and shiftboss Dan Pellerin.

Clinicparty gpers tear up the Christmas rug

8 December 1995

Steelworkers Hall packedfor USWA Local

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The line-up for Santa..

6500 Christnn

Smelter maintenancemechanic ScottRobinson and wifePauline look on asDaniel, 6, and ErIc, 7,show off the goodies.

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The Triangle 9

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"Toys are us," said one of thevolunteers staffing the gifts tableat the Steelworkers Hall. "Theonly problem here Is decidingwhat they want."

P

The Power Departments Ben Haavlsto collects his broodwhile waiting In the Santa line-up That's daughter

• JessIca i, on the left and son ErIc, 9, wIth the box Ben's- raining In his youngest, son Aaron, 4

ILlWarchouseman John Roy and son Michael wait In lineto see Santa at the United Steelworkers of AmericaLocal 6500 Christmas party.

10 December 1995

Inco Expkiration's Santa a sioiy teller

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Santa finds Jamie, daughter of lETS programmerMaureen Amber, irresistIble. It must have been theShirley Temple curls.

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lETS youngsters wait for Santa at the Fielding Parkpavilion. :J

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- lETS geologist GordonBallày claims he used ta

Into Exploration and Technical Servtces draftsman LUC have a full head of hairValade and his wife Marietta entertain son DanIelWhi1e before he began carryIn Victor Advanced Exploration Project manager Billwaiting for Santa at the Christmas party at Fielding year-old son Ian, around Dawson and daughter Anne, 15 months, had a goodPark pavilion, on his shoulder. time at the lETS Christmas party.

The Triangle 11

A: attraction at the Copper Refinery Christmas Party was "Mitch the BalloonMan" who twisted balloons Into works of ait for the youngsters.

Santa; balloons and cloum at Copper Refineiy party

J LJ7 11 t?

RObble the Clown is admired by 11-month-old Alexander Savole with dad, anodehelper Robert Savole

Chevr*er works In the Maintenanc* department atCopper Refinery. -

Jamle Leduc, 7, and brother Carl, B, stand while havinga few words with Santa. They're the sons of AkideRainville who recently moved from the Copper Refineryto Clarabelle Mlii.

Lone Lablne, 4, sits comfortably on dad'sshoulders as she watches the Balloon Mando his stuff at the Copper RefineryChristmas Party. Dan Lablne is generalforeman at Frood and mom, Sharon Taylor,is safety foreman In the Safety department.

-

Michael Landstrom, 14 months, and Christine Langen,3, play with a new toy at the Coppe Refinery party.under the watchful eye of instiumint man MarkLandstrom. Christine Is the daughter of feed preparerKen Langen.

12 December 1995

Inco talent heipsinake play a success

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The Triangle 13

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V7T_______ Healthy• Nesv Year s

It's that time of year again. A time to reflect on the post year and a timeto plan for the year to come. It is a time that many take to alter theirlifestyles. The first step for some is to make a New Year's resolution. Manypeople make New Year's resolutions but how many actually stick to themand make a commitment? Much of the time the promise that one makesto oneself lasts only for the first few days. It takes dedication, hard work anda change in one's attitude to have the resolution turn into a lifestylechange.

A few of the most popular healthy resolutions in-volve quitting smoking, eating healthy, losing weight ,.---

and beginning an exercise program. 7Did you know:'Smoking Is the largest preventable cause of

death in Canada• Heart disease is 70 per cent

more likely among smokersthan non- smokers

Quitting smokingIs one of the mostpopular resolutions.The first step to quittingis understanding why yousmoke. It may be forstimu-lation, handling stress, re-laxation, craving, pleasure orhabit. Think about the rea-sons why you smoke and try todevelop a healthy response. Forexample, stimulation can besubstituted with a brisk walkand pleasure can be replaced byhaving a healthy snack. Peoplewho smoke for the craving willprobably have the most diffi-zulty quitting. As each daypasses without a ci9arette theurge to smoke will decrease. Set aquit date for yourself and stick toIt!

For more Information and helpto quit smoking contact the reha-bilitation nurse in your area. Asmoking cessation program. PatchPlus, is available for active employ-ees and their family members.

Did you know: Did you know:1 cup non-fat milk = trace fat Dark green and orange veg-1 cup 2 per cent milk = 5g fat etables and orange fruit are1 cup whole mi1k = 8g fat higher in vital nutrients such

as Vitamin A

Eating healthyThe Canada Food Guide is a

good source for healthy eating. ft states that we should eat a variety offoods. Place an emphasis on breads, cereals, other gram products, fruit andvegetables. Choose low-fat dairy products, leaner meats and foods pre-pared with little or no fat. Also suggested is that we maintain and achievea healthy body weight by incorporating healthy eating and exercise.Finally, limit your salt, alcohol and caffeine Intake.

You can reduce your fat Intake by barbecuing, broiling or baking on arack. This will drain the fat away. Trim the fat from your meat and choose

resolutionslean cuts. Reduce your butter or margarine Intake. Have salads with lessdressing or a low-fat dressing. Cut down on fatty snacks such as chipsand chocolate bars.

Losing WeightWeight reduction does not mean developing theperfect body. Many people have the misconception

that a very slim and trim physique is the Idealpicture of beauty and health. This is not the

) case. The body mass index isa good tool touse when measuring one's weight. Itprovides you with a score according toyour height and weight. A very high

\ \ score indicates excess weight, while a\\ low score indicates a low weight. Both

can lead to medical problems. If youare Interested in a weight loss pro-gram beware of fads. These usuallyresult in an initial weight loss then arebound weight gain once you comeoff the diet.

There are also organizationsavailable in the community to sup-port people who are trying to loseweight. It takes a combination ofreducing your fat and calorie intake

and exercise. Discuss the problem withyour doctor. A referral to a dietitianmaybe helpiul.

A regular exerciseroutine will benefityour whole body. Ithelps keep yourheart, muscles andother tissueshealthy and lit. Itis a vital part ofa weight controlprogram andalso increases

\ the amountof energy

you will-J J\ 11 have,

Meny Christmas and aYear fron

Occupational

appetite control, stress reduction and stress-related eating. Regularexercise can also be of a psychological benefit because it increases self-esteem.There are many community gyms available that offer weightuaining, aerobics, swimming, aqua exercises and much more. You canalso achieve the same effect at home by taking up walking, biking,hiking or sport.

Consult your doctor before starting an exercise routine especiallyif you have an existing medical condition.

When setting out your goals for a healthy lifestyle change. keepfocused and determined. It may be easier to set your objective up sothat it can be accomplished In steps. Once you have reached one stepfeel free to reward yourself. A healthy lifestyle change will make anoticeable change for the better both physically and mentally.

Have a happy and healthy 1996!

Happy, Healthy Newtis at theDepartment

all ofHealth

rrom me Jccupaionau m.a.cin. u.pv.

14 December 1995

todays ,'

40 Years AgoIt was one of the deepest subways in the world and you didn't have to

pay a cent to ride on it. All you had to do was work on the 6,000 level ofCreighton Mine and a little battery locomotive hauled you and youreight-man car from the shaft station to your workplace in a developmentheading more than two miles away.

Levock had a similar service with larger cars on the 1,600 and 2,650levels and other mines were slated to get their own mini-railroads In thefuture.

The development heading at Creighton was braced with steel beams,two five-inch I-beams welded into a box beam instead of the woodentimbers that were gradually being abandoned. Rock bolts were drivenbeneath the beams in pin sets and also between them.

The battery locomotive was also used for transporting supplies andbringing out ore from the drifting operation.

Other stories that month were: That Man's Here Againl!U, On Christ-mas Eve Remember Those Keeping The Vigil and Eye Protection IsIndispensable.

25 Years AgoIt was Nov. 22, 1970. Santa set his runners down in Nickel Belt and

what a reception he got!Preceded by his grand parade and riding high on his famous sleigh,

he raised his arms to a leaden sky - and as if ordering snow - got It alongwith thunder. . . and lightening. . . and even rain!

It turned out to bea miserable day, but Ithardlydampened the spiritsof a boisterous crowd or put a chill on the excitement of the comingChristmas. Twenty thousand faithful jammed the two-mile parade routeto roar their enthusiasm.

Inco donated 170 professIonal fancy dress costumes and Santa had asupporting cast of 1,000 lesser notables. There was Donald Duck, theQueen of Hearts, Mother Goose and Little Jack 1-lorner. The Joll Voyageurrode the Laurentlan University float and pretty girls tossed candy to thekids. Clowns downed, horses pranced, batons twirled and pom-pomsflashed. . . and even the Three Kings and the faithful shepherds, with all

Riding the railsat Creighton

the rest of the Christmas biblical figures, were on hand.As well as the story-book characters and historical and religious

figures. nine marching bands and four groups of majorettes accompa-nied the 16 floats along the way.

But it was not all clockwork perfection. Just as organizers got ready tolaunch the last float they looked up the street to see the returning frontof the parade marching down the Street towards them half a block away.

"We very nearly had a never-ending performance," said paradecoordinator 1(en Fyall after he got the last float away without a hitch.

Other stories that monthwere: Long Service Employees Are Lauded atToronto Meeting, Queen's Mining Studentson Three-Day Inca Field Trip,and Despite Disaster, Lively Golf Club Full of Old Spirit.

15 Years Ago"At least 75 per cent of the accidents over the holiday season involved

someone who was impaired," said Constable Dennis Tappenden, com-munity services coordinator for the Ontario Provincial Police.

He was reporting how drinking and driving caused so many tragedies.The majority of accidents took place on city streets, he said, on drypavement and in good driving conditions. The most fatal time forOntario drivers was between the hours of I am. and 2 a.m.

"The statistics for impaired drivers are frightening," he said. "Withfive million licensed vehicles in Ontario, It is unnerving to think that onein five of these dnvers has been drinking. What's even more upsetting isthat one in five drivers will have a serious accident within a 10-yearspan."

Spot checks were conducted throughout the year, he sold, but thechecks during the ChrlstmasandNewyear's holidays were increased andpublicized In an attempt to reduce drinking and driving.

He advised people to have one person in their crowd sober to chauffeurthe rest of them around for the evening or use taxis.

ul,p.Ihichever way you choose always remember - if you drink, don'tdrive, or if you drive, don't drink," he concluded.

Other stories that month were: Safety Hall of Fame, Sudbury's SantaClaus Parade, and Sudbury Media Tour Inco Operations.

A look back for Port ColbOrne employeesIt has been a nostalgic fall for the employees at the Port Colborne

Refinery.In September the PCR placed a large display at théCity of Port Colborne's

125th birthday party. The turnout was fantastic. Many of the approxi-mately 500 people who stopped by to see the display asked questions aboutthe past and expressed a great deal of interest in the current operations.

Special thanks for their efforts goto Bill Kantyinir retired superintend-ent of Operations, and Gary Hoffman, the current superintendent ofOperations and Maintenance. They set up the display and stood by all dayto answer questions. The display chronided the history of the refinery withphotographs and newspaper clippings from the past, combined with recent'photographs taken within the plant.

But the nostalgia didn't stop there.On Thursday, Nov. 16, many of the PCR's pensioners gathered together

to take part in the annual Pensioners Day. Everyone gathered at the ItalianHall and buses, brought people to the plant where they observed the recentchanges and chatted with employees. Following the plant tour the pension-ers returned to the Italian Hall for a delicious meal and more reminiscing.

On Nov.8, the employees of the Port Colborne Refinery enjoyed takingtheir kids to work. The Ontario-wide Job shadowing program was sponsoredby the local high schools and was designed to introduce Grade 9 students tothe realities of life at the workplace. Employees with children in Grade 9 wereencouraged to bring them to work for the day.

In other news, the Port Colborne Refinery's donation to the SouthNiagara Rowing Club enabled them to buy a new two-person shell. Sadly,lest year several of the club's shells sustained serious damage duringtransportbecause ofsudden high winds. For many years, The South NiagaraRowing Club has made the most of the recreational waterway (the oldWelland Canal) which runs through Welland and Dam City into PortColborne.

Port Colborne's Inco employees will have the opportunity to name thenew shell.

George DeRuyte, Accounting Services supervisor, is accepting sugges-tions from throughout the plant. The successful candidate will win dinnerfor two at a local restaurant. The event promises to be a lot of fun foreveryone who gets involved.

The Triangle 15

with Ron Rufuse

The Christmas season is one of the most important times of the yearfor family and friends to be together.

With the joys of this time of the year taking over all our thoughts andactions, we cannot allow it to crowd out the need to keep safety foremostin our minds both at home and on the job.

This month we will talk about the third of the seven safety principles.

Management is Responsible for Preventing InjuriesKnowing that all injuries can be prevented through the involvement

of employees puts the responsibility on all levels of management toensure that the control and commitment is in place for preventinginjuries. It is also responsible to the community for providing an accident-free and healthy environment. It is the responsibility of management toprovide the proper tools and procedures for getting work done and toprovide a workplace environment that is safe for work.

After providing tools, procedures and a safe environment, manage-ment must ensure that the people doing the work follow the proceduresand use the tools and equipment properly. It must also ensure that peopledo not operate equipment that is not safe and that equipment is notoperated by people who are not qualified or authorized to do so.

To make this all work we need to keep in mind the principle from lastmonth's article 'Employee Involvement is Essential." It requires that allemployees get involved with making the workplace safe. This will be theonly way to arrive at the goal of preventing all injuries.

Management's rolein injury prevention

Most of us have now attended the one-day workshop, uMaking theWorkplace Safe," that taught us the skills of how every person can takean active role in ensuring safety in the workplace by recognizing unsafeconditions and actions. It also shows how we all should correct anyunsafe conditions or actions. We will be successful at working safely ifwe practice these skills daily.

With all its snow and cold temperatures, winter brings its ownbeauty. It also brings a change of conditions that creates its own uniquehazards. conditions. Thin ice1 slippery road conditions, snowmobilingand skiing hazards make the season one for extra caution.

Snowmobiling is in full swing, and many a good time has ended intragedy as machines and driver break through the ice or go into openwater. Lives are lost this way every year, both through drowning andhypothermia.

As responsible adults, the safety of our families should be foremostin outdoor activities. Please take the time to explain to all familymembers the dangers that can be encountered.

Each employee has received a letter and information on the dangersof drinking and driving, Please don't drink if you intend to drive oroperate a snowmobile. You owe it to your family and friends as well asyourself. Each of us should be able to share Christmas memories ratherthan be a Christmas memory.

Next month we will discuss principle #4; Working Safely is aCondition of Employment.

.

icleciS by Susan

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. . . Joy to the world. . . sleep in heavenlypeace...

Everyone's attention is focused on the holidays, the preparations, the plans andthe celebration. Will it all be perfect? As dose as we can make it.

There is little room in our thoughts and plans for financial considerations aswe make our preparations. But there are a few ways the financial considerationscan work for you as you finish your preparations.

Sharing and givingChristmas is the season for giving and sharing. We search for the perfect gift

for the special people in our lives. We share with those who have less than we do.This may be a combination to put to work this season. We all have people on Qurlist who have everything, who are impossible to find the perfect gift for, who don'treally want anything. There is a way to give to them and to share with others aswell. Make a donation to their favorite charity in their name and give them thereceipt to be used for a tax credit when they file their tax return in April 1996. Thismakes sense for both of you and for the charities that need support. You get thesatisfaction of giving, the recipient knows you have put some thoughtinto the giftbecause you have carefully chosen the charity and also knows that they havehelped make a contribution to a favored cause, and the charity receives theresources it needs to carry on its work.

Your own charitable giftsThis is also the time of year for you to make donations to your favorite charities.

Donations made in December can be claimed for tax credits in April. Put offwriting the cheque until January and you can't use the receipt until 1997. Considermaking your charitable donations in December every two years. In December of1995 you make donations for 95 and 96, and then in 1997 you do it again. Thisis one way to maximize the tax credit benefit for you and that allows you to donatemore dollars for the same out of pocket cost.

Financially sound giftsThere are gifts for all ages to help foster an interest in and awareness of

financial matters. For the very young, who probably already have a piggy bank,why not add some coin sleeves and a promise to tqke both child and coins to opena bank account. Counting and rolling coins for child is both fun and educational.

For the adults on your list, there is a huge variety of books on financialplanning, choosing investments and making choices. There are books aimed atevery level of knowledge, from those that answer the very basic questions aboutthings like compound interest, to those that offer guidance in the areas of futures,options, warrants and everything in between. There are also magazines or weeklynewspapers like the Financial Post with timely articles and a fresh approach toperk up with each new edition.

For those of us who have ot completed our Christmas shopping, we will allpromise to be more organizd next year but rn the nieantline,the best advice is:Shop sanely. Avoid the trap of rushing out to buy whatever looks as if it will do justto be sure friends and family know we were thinking aboutthem. 'Panic buying'leads to overspending and disappointment because we didn't find the perfect giftand the money spent wasn't worth It. Keepthe spirit of the season. Peace on earth,goodwill toall doesn'tc stculything excepttiine. Takethetime, the retwillfoUow.

16 December 1995

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Ihearditdownat...

The Christmas cardThe Christmas card made its debut in England In IMi While ho.ndwrit-

ten greetings had long been a holiday tradition, Illustrator John Horsley iscredited with creating the first commercial greeting card. The design waslithographed in black and white and colored by hand. Sold for a shillingapiece, the card depicted a family enjoying a Christmas feast. Today, billionsof cards are sent each year.

A Christmas fondly rememberedhMy fatv ate Chrlstmases were before I wos married when my dad, a former Inca

employee (Bill Sorenson), made a red doll bed and my brother a game like checkersout of piece ofwood, with holes drilled in it and nails painted silver. I was probably10 years old. We always had traditional Danish Christrnases where we celebratedthe evening before Christmas. Afier dinner, we would go in by the Christmas treeand sing Christmas curds for an hour. And my parents would sing in Danish. Imissthose days. It was great.

Janle Bozic, secretaryto Nickel Refinery manager Al Cruthers

Some Christmasfacts. . . and someChristmas memories

My favonte Christmas was when our whole family got together and celebrated.The last time was five, six years ago. Seven kids and my parents so there was about24 of us in all. It was pretty special.

Chester MacLean, locomotive conductor

"Christmas is family. We have a family reunion at Christmas. We startorganizing this bock In September and we have It about two weeks beforeChristmas, One year we have It at one house, the next year at another house.

Men' Lacharity, cobalt hydrate operator at the PortColbome Refinery

.,'-"I used to own a farm out in Blezard Valley. I've got brothers and sisters

scattered all over the place. They all ended up at my place for Christmas in 1987,even my brother who'd worked overseas. All my family was together that Christmas.My dad has died 5iflCe and my brothers are getting further and farther away.So that Christmas was speciaL

Dave Falrbatrn, mine foreman at Carson

The Christmas tree

$ In pre-Chrlstlan Europe, people believed that trees - evergreens inparticular - were actually powerful beings. As a throwback to that paganheiltage, Gennan Ianiffiestntheearly 1600s began bringing evergreens into

"Probably, it wastheñrst Christmas with my kids when they first realized there their hornc during the holtduy .iuson dnd I'Lorotlng thcm wh rw,was antaClaus.Sendingtherntobcdeurly,Ieavingtfwtreutsouiforlbereindeer, candies and cookies. Decorating with lights came later. Legend has it thatit brought mebackto when Iwosa kid when tPierewasa senseafantici potion about while walking on a snowy Christmas Eve, theologian Martin Luther W05 SOChristmas. And then seeing the excitement in our kid? eyes made it all that more moved by the starry heavens that he wonted to capture the Image for hisspecial. ' children, so he attached small candles to their holiday tree.

Alex Tarnowycz, payroll analyst In the______________________ *

General omce

$1t was probably way back when! was a kid myseIf We used to live up north in

Timmins. We used togo out and get our tree in the bush. It was a day of it, tons ofsnow, the whole family. It was a home thing."

Dave Rusenstrom, electrician at the Port ColborneRefinery

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"To me, it's family and it has lots to do with tradition. The girls (Julia, 30, andLori, 7), go with their dad to get a Christmas tree. We do It all year long. We go tocamp and we Christmas-tree spot even in July."

Jo-Anne Muldoon, crusher operator at South Mine

I"The Christmas before my dad died four years ago was his last Christmas. He

(his father Dmytro, or (Jan as he was known, was an inca pensioner) and! were veryclose. We pretty well knew it was his last Christmas and we all, my four brothers andI, got together. We'll always remember that Christmas."

Steve Lamega, process foreman at the NickelRefinery converter building

"I was only nine at the time when I got my first two-wheel pedal bike back inQuebec. I remember that just like it was yesterday, a two-wheel bike given tome bymy uncle."

Roger Roberge, cagetender at South Mine

"It was last year when we had our first child, our son Jeffrey. It was his firstChristmas. He's 17 months old now."

Mike Nault, plant protection officer

If you have a story Idea,Interesting ñct or figure about 4tIncoorjusta plalnoldanecdateyou'd like to share, I'd be very *Interested In hearing from youat 682-5204.

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