HEMM Women Drivers

Challenge

To facilitate diversity and inclusion in HEMM operations.

Solution

13 women drivers from a tribal and rural background have been trained, certified and inducted to operate 100 tonne dumper trucks at the PB coal mine. Hiring women to a mining workforce has been a challenge globally. The PB mine noticed two gaps that needed to be addressed. Aspirations of impacted women to join an economic activity and bringing in diversity to an otherwise male-dominated workforce. We identified women auto drivers who had the inclination to be independent and a road sense. They were counseled as the operations are at remote locations away from family. After days of their internal discussions with their family members and others, 14 of them were willing to take the challenge and were then immersed into an induction and subsequent rigorous training program, agnostic to their background. After completion and gaining certification they were inducted and have since been performing superbly well.

The company is confident that their unique story will inspire several others.

Benefit

Women drivers’ handling skills of these large machines appears significantly better than that of their male counterparts. This reduces maintenance and spares costs in the long run. It has provided a better sense of equality in what is a remote and male-dominated society, bringing in discipline to the operations, while increasing women employability.