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Chilean Mining Crisis

In: Business and Management

Submitted By mpoff1
Words 930
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Chilean Mining Incident
BCOM/275

Any time a business suffers some type of tragedy that could potentially involve serious injury or loss of life to the employees of the company, it is very important to ensure that the communication that follows is appropriate. The process of handling these types of events can make or break a company in the wake of a disaster. Communication to the families of the victims of the disaster will need a different type of communication than will the employees of the company. During the Chilean mine collapse in 2010, 33 miners were trapped in a mine for 70 days before being rescued. During this time, neither the families of the men trapped nor the other employees of the company knew if the men would be rescued, or if they would perish underground. The men were eventually rescued, which was great for both the business and the families. However, it could easily have gone the other way, and destroyed the lives of the families involved and the other employees at the company. When communicating with the families of the miners, it is important for the business to stay positive, yet remorseful. Especially in the beginning, the family will want to hear sincere remorse from the business for the accident that occurred. However, since they are unsure if the miners are alive, the company should focus on keeping hope alive and attempt to keep spirits up. The company would want to show support for the families, offer counseling, and show the families that the company is making every effort to rescue their loved ones. The company would also need to avoid making statements that could hold themselves liable for the accident due to future litigation. The statement should be made publicly via television or newspaper with follow up visits to all of the affected family members by a representative of the company. A draft of this statement to the families is as follows. We at the Minera San Esteban Primera mining corporation are saddened by the tragic accident that has occurred at the San Jose mine. We are doing everything within our power to rescue the trapped men involved in this accident. We would like to reach out to the families of the 33 men trapped in the mine and offer our support to these families. We have set up a hotline for the family members to call to receive the most up to date information on the rescue efforts that will bring their family back home. Furthermore, we will offer counseling to the family members of the men during the rescue efforts, and after the men are brought safely out of the mine. Representatives of our company will be reaching out to all of the family members of the men involved in this incident to see how we can help. We will work around the clock to bring these men home to their families. When communicating with the other employees of the company, it is very important not only to communicate that the company is working very hard to rescue the trapped miners, but also that the company will stay in business, and will ramp up the safety program. The employees need to know that the company is still stable, and that it will make any necessary improvements to the safety program in order to keep them safe. This communication should be written by the company and read at meetings at the other work sites. A draft of the statement to the employees is as follows. We at the Minera San Esteban Primera mining company are committed to the safety of our employees. We have had a tragic accident at our San Jose mine which has trapped 33 men in the mine. We are utilizing all of our resources to rescue these men and bring them back home to their families. While this is a tragic accident, we have not yet determined the cause of the cave in. We will complete a full investigation into the cause of the incident at San Jose after the men are brought home. Currently, we are evaluating our safety program and are sending safety inspectors to all of our other mines. Safety is our number one priority, and we will ensure that all of our employees have a safe atmosphere to work in for years to come. We will continue to update you on the status of the men at San Jose, and we will have a celebration when they are returned home to their families. These two statements ensure the people that the business is doing everything in their power to bring the trapped men home. The statements also attempt to comfort the people most affected by the incident, which are the families of the trapped miners, and the employees of the company. The families will get the support they need from the company, and the employees will feel more at ease knowing that the company is rededicating itself to employee safety. These statements also do not admit fault on the side of the company, which is important due to litigation. In conclusion, depending on the audience, the communication in any event must be changed to fit their needs. The families want to know that the company is doing everything they can to bring their loved ones home safe. The employees want that information as well, however, they also want to know what the company is doing to prevent this from happening again, and that the company will still be around so that they can make a living.

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