Baker LakeSA国际影视传媒檚 Trevor Attungala has trained upwards of a thousand Agnico Eagle miners in the Kivalliq to operate heavy equipment, to work safely and to properly use and store energy-based equipment.
AttungalaSA国际影视传媒檚 knowledge of heavy equipment spans a broad range: graders, loaders, bulldozers, snowblowers, telehandlers, skid-steers, forklifts and container handlers among them.
He became familiar with some of those vehicles, including tractor trailers and dump trucks, while working in his home community prior to signing on with Agnico Eagle in 2009. He figures he was around age 17 when he first climbed into a wheel loader.
Then he was introduced to other pieces of heavy equipment at the Meadowbank Complex worksite years later.
SA国际影视传媒淚 thought it was a good opportunity at the time,SA国际影视传媒� he recalls of his transition to the mining company. SA国际影视传媒淚 was working for a contractor named Arctic Fuel in Baker Lake, hauling stuff and moving stuff for the mine when they started the road back in 2007-2008. One of the (Agnico Eagle) supervisors noticed me and offered me a job.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e done a lot of things here SA国际影视传媒� I was a heavy equipment operator, a team leader, a supervisor, now a trainer.SA国际影视传媒�
With a wealth of experience in many facets of heavy equipment and safety, Attungala eventually moved into a training role in the energy and infrastructure department in 2017.
The heavy equipment instruction he provides is done one-on-one.
However, courses such as confined space safety, fall protection and lockout/tagout are offered to multiple employees in a classroom. Prior to the pandemic, Attungala would commonly have 12 to 15 people gathered for such training, but Covid-19 public health restrictions, some of which are still observed at the mines, have reduced that number to seven in that same training room for the sake of social distancing.
SA国际影视传媒淲e still take all the precautions necessary to ensure everybodySA国际影视传媒檚 safety here,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
The pandemic caused significant upheaval for Kivalliq mine employees as they were sent home twice with pay for lengthy periods in an effort to prevent viral transmission to the outlying communities.
SA国际影视传媒淒uring the time when the pandemic first hit, yes, it was kind of scary there. Some of us were kind of hesitant to go to work,SA国际影视传媒� Attungala recalled. SA国际影视传媒淭o be honest, it was a little bit of a relief to be sent home. The virus was too unknown back then.SA国际影视传媒�
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Two weeks off like a holiday
When he resumed work in March after the second pandemic break, he returned to the two weeks at site/two weeks at home rotation. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a lifestyle he has come to embrace.
SA国际影视传媒淚 canSA国际影视传媒檛 imagine myself going back to a Monday to Friday job, to be honest,SA国际影视传媒� he laughed, adding that he really enjoys spending half the month back at home. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 great. I get to spend more time with the baby, I get to spend time with the family SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 essentially a holiday every two weeks.SA国际影视传媒�
It also gives him a chance to work on his truck, his snowmobile or his boat.
Although most of his time at the mine is devoted to working 12-hour shifts or sleeping afterwards, he also enjoys watching TV to relax. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 also options to utilize the on-site fitness centre, as well as a lounge with pool tables, air hockey and pinball.
SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 quite a few things people can do,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭his place is a gift for a lot of us locals. Without it, a lot of us wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be working. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 good to see people that I grew up with and learn new things SA国际影视传媒� this place gives opportunities to a lot of people.SA国际影视传媒�
