8.4 SAFETY Company. As Safety is of prime importance to the Doe Run of the evidence of this, the company has been the proud recipient a nation's highest safety award, the Sentinels of Safety Award, total of 13 times. The goal with regard to pillar extraction is that there be no lost time accidents. This has been achieved since beginning the pillar extraction process. If a safe way can't be found to do the work, it won't be done during pillar To ensure that safety is not several procedures, extraction, Run has incorporated Back spans are limited to 46 m in the short dimension in pillar extraction areas (this may be increased through the use of fill. This limits the potential for large back that can cause air which are dangerous to employees working in the area. Visual classifications of pillar stability are made regularly to monitor changing conditions. In those areas found to have stability extraction process is modi fied to ensure that the extraction can be done safely. A set of rules has been defined that lists the "do's and don'ts" of working in a pillar area. Asafe means for retrieving disabled loaders in nonaccess open stope areas has been developed. A second remote loader is available at each operation to assist with the res cue the other. A small remote controlled tractor with a camera has is also available for making cable hook-ups so that non remote-controlled trucks and loaders can be used for loader retrieval. Creative means ofmaking cable hook-ups using scaler rigs and other equipment have been used at times. To date, no loaders have been lost. Intermine pillar audits are conducted on a rotating schedule at each mine in which pillars are extracted. When an audit takes place, each mine sends a represen tative (salaried or hourly) to attend the audit. Normally, a meeting is first held on the surface to review current pillai production from each mine. Discussion of problems and so ons are also held at this time. Following this meeting, the audit attendees are taken on an under- ground tour of pillar areas at the mine being audited While underground, the attendees for look safety issues that need attention and review the pillar extraction pro- cedures being used at the audited mine Rock mechanics instruments have been installed to mon tor ground conditions for potential unstable and unsafe conditions These instruments are piano wire extensome- ters and multipoint in-hole vibrating wire transducers. Pressure ce embedment strain gauges, stressmeters have also been used