15 April 2010
Safety milestone reached
Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., operator of the Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada's Northwest Territories, is pleased to announce that earlier this month its workforce achieved 2 million hours without a lost time injury.
Diavik's workforce achieved this safety milestone over a period of 11 months. Our last lost time injury occurred in May 2009.
Additionally, over a 120 day period, Diavik's workforce has surpassed one million hours without any recordable injury or medical treatment.
These milestones, upon which we continue to build, follow our excellent safety record of 2009 when we achieved our safest year since our 2003 commencement of mining operations.
"I would like to congratulate and thank all employees and contractors for the extremely positive health and safety performance that is currently being achieved. This performance encourages us all to believe that zero harm is possible and can be achieved by all working together towards a common goal," said Diavik President and Chief Operating Officer Kim Truter.
"Thanks again to our entire workforce for their contribution to this performance, for your focus and efforts - the reward is that every member of our workforce goes home safely at the end of the day or at the end of their roster."
The Diavik Diamond Mine, a three time John T. Ryan safety trophy winner (2003, 2004, and 2007), is located 300 km. northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and is an unincorporated joint venture between DDMI (60%) and Harry Winston Diamond Limited Partnership (40%). Both companies are headquartered in Yellowknife, Canada. DDMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc of London, England, and Harry Winston Diamond Limited Partnership is controlled by Harry Winston Diamond Corporation of Toronto, Canada. DDMI is the operator of the mine. For further information contact Doug Ashbury, Acting Principal Adviser, Communications at Tel: (867) 669-6525, or visit www.diavik.ca.