In May 2024, the Safety team at Spence, Pampa Norte, set out to improve the way we approach workplace health, safety and security training by building on insights gained through several event investigations. 

Recognising that effective health, safety and security training goes beyond theoretical learning and requires practical, hands-on experience, the team focused on improving health, safety and security training for new employees and contractors at Spence across four key areas:

1. Online or in-person theory classes.
2. Small-scale interactive models of materials risks, including miniature models of mine vehicles, routes and parking. 
3. 3D immersive simulation practices that leverage new extended reality technology, such as virtual reality headsets, to simulate different safety risk scenarios, such as falls from height, confined spaces and lifting exercises.
4. In-field exercises within simulation zones, such as practising using a harness at height within a learning environment.

In developing the improved training, the team consulted with the Chilean Safety Association, Mutualidad.

Each training area progressively builds on the one before, allowing our employees and contractors to develop the knowledge and practical skills to identify safety risks and more effectively implement controls to help manage these risks on-site. As of March 2025, 452 employees and contractors at Spence had completed the new training.

The training has been designed to allow for direct interaction between participants and trainers. Participants are encouraged to provide feedback via a survey (after completing the training sessions) to help the Spence Safety team identify further improvements. Feedback received to date has been positive.

The Spence Safety team is continuing to expand this training program, by incorporating additional material safety risks such as energy release, crashes, collisions and rollovers in industrial areas.