Mine Electrician

Salary £ 36,000
South Crofty Mine, Pool, TR15 3QT

The main dewatering pumps at South Crofty are operational, and with the water level lowering in the mine, the focus is now on accessing the deep underground workings, using and refurbishing the historic New Cooks Kitchen Shaft.  The newly commissioned sheeve wheels on the iconic headframe are turning once again, hoisting the main conveyance required to access the workings with personnel and materials.

Currently, approximately 2km of mine workings are actively operated and accessed from the Tuckingmill Decline.  These workings are being utilised for our ongoing feasibility study works, including ongoing diamond drilling programmes. Maintaining and operating these workings requires ongoing electrical support, which will increase considerably as we dewater more of the mine workings.

Significant new infrastructure has been installed to enable access to the deep workings of the mine, including a new 11kv network, a new single drum winding engine, an emergency egress winder, and two cages. 

These upgrades and developments require a competent and motivated electrical team to install, manage, maintain, and repair our systems on-site in a safe and efficient manner.  The work has the potential to be extremely varied, ranging from heavy industrial to control and instrumentation.   The successful candidate will need to have a level of fitness that enables them to perform the specified activities efficiently, an aptitude for working in challenging conditions and a willingness to confirm to strict health and safety procedures throughout. be a key member of this team. 

Employment will be conditional on a medical report which the Company considers satisfactory, from a doctor chosen (and paid for) by the Company.  Cornish Metals is an equal opportunities employer and are committed to diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace.  A copy of our Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy is available on our website.

Principle responsibilities/Role tasks

Specific duties as part of the role include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Carry out electrical installation works on the mine LV network.
• Work and maintain the mine HV & LV networks.
• Promote a positive safety culture and follow best practise.
• Conduct and maintain records of statutory maintenance schemes.
• Following procedures and safety standards for all work undertaken.
• Conducting Two-Minute Risk Assessments (2MRA’s) for all work tasks undertaken.
• Maintaining your personal work equipment and safety gear to a suitable standard to ensure compliance.
• Undertaking internal and external training as required by the Company to ensure suitable competency for the role. 
• Cooperating with all operational team members to ensure work efforts are coordinated and conducted safely and efficiently. 
• Ensure compliance at all times with Company policy, Risk Assessment Method Statements (RAMS)/Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) and the Manager’s Rules.
• Providing official regular reports to your line manager, detailing work carried out and maintenance/repair requirements.

 
Successful candidates will be expected to undertake any other duties reasonably required, appropriate to safety, and the skills and experience requirements of the role.
 
Working environment

Cornish Metals Ltd will supply you with all the necessary PPE required to work safely and do all it reasonably can to protect you from risk of injury and ill health, including completion, and maintenance of, risk assessments and implementing systems of work designed to protect your health and safety. Despite this, you will hold a significant amount of personal responsibility for the health and safety of yourself and your colleagues.  As part of your role you will be required to work underground.  

In this environment:

• Due to ventilation (both natural and mechanical) the mine workings are often draughty. 
• You will be walking over muddy, uneven, and loose ground, with steep gradients and climbing ladders whilst wearing protective footwear, coveralls, and harnesses.
• It is often a very noisy environment and you will be required to wear hearing protection regularly. 
• You may be required to operate handheld tools which may be heavy and loud and exhibit high levels of vibration.
• Manual handling of heavy loads up to 20 kg (it being impossible to mechanise most of the physical tasks in the mine environment).
• You will frequently work at height and/or from ropes or fall restraint equipment, you will be required to train in the use of and wear fall arrest equipment. 
• South Crofty is a deep, underground mine. The main access shaft, New Cooks Kitchen Shaft, is approximately eight hundred meters deep. Underground workers must adhere to strict safety protocols and regulatory requirements to ensure the wellbeing of yourself and your colleagues in such a remote environment.
• To reach the deeper levels of the mine, the primary access is via a small 8-person cage, with an emergency second means of egress provided with a 4-person ‘bullet cage’ of 800mm diameter.
• Parts of the mine can be narrow with restricted height. You will often be expected to work in confined spaces accordingly. 

Functions that are considered intrinsic to the role are: 

• Climbing ladders (in dark and wet conditions), especially in underground areas to access different levels of the mine and as a means of emergency/alternative exit.
• A good base level of fitness and ability to undertake manual handling to enable the basic role requirements to be performed.
• The ability to ride inside the shaft cages, which are of limited dimensions.
• The ability to wear fall-arrest harnesses and associated restraints.
• Shift work, working day shifts and weekends, on a rolling shift pattern.

You will be offered, and expected to cooperate with, a (free) health assessment at regular intervals.

Key relationships

The role will directly report to the Electrical Foreman, with overall reporting responsibility to the Mine Manager. 

You will also need to work closely with the Mine Captain, site contractors and technical services team in this role.

Skills and experience

The successful candidate will be required to undertake the duties and responsibilities of this role in a safe and efficient manner, in compliance with the Mines Regulations 2014, Company Policy and the Manager’s Rules.

The key skills and experience expected for this role include:

Essential

• Proven track record as an effective team worker.
• A suitable level of fitness.
• The ability to fully understand and observe strict health and safety guidelines at work procedures. 
• Ability to undertake Two-Minute Risk Assessments (2MRA’s) for which specific training will be provided.
• High degree of attention to detail.
• Experience of working within a regulated safety system, with a pro-active approach to workplace health and safety.
• Ability to multitask.
• A ‘can do’ positive attitude.
• Trained and competent with the Electricity at Work regulations.
• Recognised electrical apprenticeship. Any additional training or qualification could be beneficial.
• Experience of LV and HV systems, with associated permits to work would be advantageous.
• Ability to follow an on-call rota (nominally 4 days on and 4 days off) and have some flexibility to work out of hours if required.
• Undertaking training on equipment as required to keep skills up to date.
• Ability to work in challenging underground conditions, ranging from working at heights to working in confined spaces.
• Being a team player, who is willing and able to mentor junior staff and get involved with a wide variety of work tasks as and when required.

Desirable

• An understanding of PLC/HMI/SCADA control systems, along with some exposure to MCC control panels and instrumentation.
• 18th Edition Wiring Regulations and Use of Electricity in Mines desirable.
• Previous experience of working in mining, quarrying, tunnelling or construction industries.
• Mechanical ability and exposure.
• Current driving licence, or alternative ability to efficiently undertake the duties of the role or the travel to work.

How to apply

If you would like to be part of this exciting project and join the team at South Crofty mine, please apply through this link and make sure to attach your CV in the documents screen.

We’d love to hear why you feel this would be the perfect role for you, please leave a note or attach a covering letter with your application.

Benefits

Health and Dental Cashback.
Life Insurance.
Enhanced parental leave and sick pay.
Income protection insurance.
Enhanced pension contributions.
Employee Assistance Programme.
Personal days.