Internal Communication Models Shaping Safe Behavior of Employees in the Raw Materials Sector During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract

The new threat, which the SARS-COV-2 virus turned out to be two years ago, meant that mining companies had to face this challenge. The rapidly deteriorating situation, the continuous increase in the number of coronavirus infections and the severe course of the disease contributed to the development of new rules and procedures in the operation of mining plants. They were to guarantee all employees, especially those working underground, a sense of peace and security, as well as ensuring the continuity of maintenance and operation of plants. This "unique challenge" resulted in the companies developing best practices during the pandemic, which were based primarily on efficient and reliable internal communication shaping safe behavior of employees. This publication presents the internal communication models developed and used by various mining companies, which shaped the safe behavior of employees in the raw materials sector during the coronavirus pandemic. The authors compared the introduced actions shaping safe behavior and the resulting models of internal communication during extraordinary work. A comparative analysis of the communication tools used in individual models was made on the example of selected companies from the raw materials sector.