Hecla prioritizes health and safety for employees, contractors, and communities by fostering a culture of safety and adhering to rigorous protocols. Safety takes precedence over production–no project or deadline is worth compromising any individual or team’s well-being. Our company is committed to open, honest communication and respect diverse perspectives to resolve conflicts effectively.
Hecla’s extensive safety practices and standards are detailed in our Safety and Health Management System (SHMS). Our SHMS establishes the minimum implementation standards and requirements to meet the company’s objectives for safety and health. The SHMS is based on the belief that all injuries are avoidable, and a total commitment from all personnel is necessary to perform all tasks safely to achieve zero injuries.
Hecla tracks safety performance and training indicators including its All-Injury Frequency Rate (AIFR), near misses, observations, equipment damages, and training hours, with a goal of reducing safety incidents and improving upon the previous year’s performance.
Performance against safety targets is a key component of our short-term incentive pay (STIP) program for salaried employees, including named executive officers. Safety is also part of hourly incentive programs at three of our four production sites, an initiative that has raised awareness and improved safety. Prior to 2024, the STIP was based on advancing our long-term trend since 2012 of reducing our AIFR, including lost-time injuries, restricted workday cases, and medical treatment incidents. In 2024, to drive focus on activities to further improve safety performance, we created our first targets for selected leading indicators in the STIP. These targets focused on: identifying and correcting hazards (including regular inspections and proactive reporting of hazards and near misses); risk reduction (such as risk assessment and implementation of hierarchy of controls); and safety engagement in the workplace (employee interactions and observations). In 2024:
Hecla implements several programs designed to raise awareness of its safety culture and help employees develop skills that enable them to perform their work in a safe and healthy way. These programs include the SAFETY: Take it Home campaign and the Hecla Take 5 Safety Focus Program, which fosters continuous improvement by improving job site awareness and decreasing exposure to high and critical risk activities at each job site.
The team at our Keno Hill operation was recognized for the tremendous strides made over the course of 2024 to improve safety performance. Numerous safety upgrades in 2024 reduced the site’s All-Injury Frequency Rate (AIFR) by 30%. As a result of their efforts, CEO Rob Krcmarov presented them with the Hecla Safety Award.
Lucky Friday won the overall competition at the Central Mine Rescue Competition. This annual event trains and prepares mine rescue teams and individual members for emergency response. Lucky Friday won first place in team tech, field, and rope categories and second place in first aid. Our Greens Creek technician team placed second for expertise at keeping life-sustaining equipment in first order.
Hecla’s Greens Creek operation received the annual Hard Hat Safety Award from the Alaska Miners Association. The award recognizes exemplary commitment to safety through communication, training, safety record, and adherence to standards.
