Training and safety films in the mines.
Mali, Ghana and Burkina Faso, then Perth. 2013 to 2015.
Shawn Peach, training development coordinator and cinematographer, for African Underground Mining Services
AUMS Audio-Visual Team Promo
Shawn Peach, training development coordinator and cinematographer, for African Underground Mining Services
The job
I went in as a training and safety coordinator.
I was the video production support for the safety team, and I reported to the safety coordinators and the safety managers at the main office in Ghana.
We spent a significant amount of time on site on two month swings, and a majority of that time was underground.
Mali, Ghana and Burkina Faso
Underground mining operations for gold.
Perth, Western Australia
Maintenance and driver training films on the large trucks.
English, French, Bambara and Twi
Translating the context.
We would take the existing inductions, which were in English, and the technical advisor would turn them into scripts. We produced the films in English, then translated them into French, Bambara and Twi.
We found local translators who could translate the context as well as the words, so people could actually understand it.
The films
A whole suite of training films.
Isolation and tagging in the maintenance shed
Working at heights
Underground machinery
Driver training on the large trucks
Underground explosives
On every shoot I ran the briefing with everyone who was acting in the film or helping out.
I know the safety advisor team were really impressed with the thought and care in the films, especially in taking English and translating it into the local languages.
I’ve still got the books, the training manuals and the scripts we did, and I can show you any of it.
I’ve always had an interest in safety, and I think that came from Africa. I did my Cert IV in Occupational Health and Safety before I went over, so I’d go in with a base level of knowledge. I’m doing my Diploma of Work Health and Safety at the moment, and I’ve got current CPR and first aid and a white card.
