Global aviation safety in the resources sector has been given a strong boost this month, with two companies in Canada and Australia making new commitments to the Flight Safety Foundation’s global standard.
Canada’s Teck Resources Limited and Australian-Canadian operation Evolution Mining have joined 21 other resources companies globally that have signed up to adopt the Foundation’s Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) Program.
The BARS Program solves the resources sector’s challenge of wide variations in how companies assess and audit the safety of their outsourced air operations.
BARS Program Director David Anderson said the program was one of only three globally recognised safety standards, and the only one for contracted aviation suppliers.
“BARS is a high value, focused solution for resource companies with operations across many different countries,” Mr Anderson said.
Evolution Mining is an Australian-based gold mining company with Australian assets in Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland as well as Red Lake in Ontario, Canada.
Teck Resources is a diversified natural resources company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, that is engaged in mining and mineral development. It operates in Canada, Peru, Chile, and the USA with exploration in Australia, Ireland and Turkey.
Mr Anderson said the partnership between Teck Resources, Evolution Mining and the Foundation’s BARS Program would help to extend the existing high-quality, high-value assurance processes for both companies’ aviation activities.
“It will also give the companies the ability to actively collaborate with their peers and share knowledge and experiences in aviation safety,” he said.
“It is wonderful to have Teck Resources joining the BARS Program as one of the largest onshore resource sector companies with a global exposure to aviation. Similarly, Evolution Mining remained focused on safety, especially in regards to global aviation, and the BARS Program will deliver broad benefits across a range of partners,” Mr Anderson said.
Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, international, and impartial non-profit that exists to champion the cause of aviation safety. The Foundation established the BARS Program in 2010 to review aviation operators providing aviation services.
