Tuya is a Manager HSET (Health, Safety, Environment & Training) at our Oyu Tolgoi C26 project in the South Gobi desert in Mongolia.
With 14 years' experience in safety management, Tuya has worked at the copper and gold mine for the past four years. She enjoys learning and challenging herself every day, sharing new ideas and seeing tangible results from her efforts, including being part of a team that’s achieved and maintained two millions man hours LTI (lost time injury) free.
We talk to Tuya to learn more about her role and why it brings her joy.
What do you love about your role/your team?
The best thing of my work is ensuring our workers come to work and return to their families safe and sound and I am very proud that the teams on site work in collaboration and have prioritised and not compromised safety for anything else.
What are the challenges/opportunities you have had at Thiess?
With no previous experience in underground mining, working at underground mine development project was a new world to me. It was a totally different to open-cut mine that I used to work in.
I embraced challenges such as developing a new underground mining safety rules and procedures as well as identifying hazards, risks and mitigating actions for the underground work environment,
It also gave me an opportunity to lead and contribute to many young nationals to be upskilled and embrace new technologies and underground mining equipment that have been introduced in the country in the very first time.
How does your work/team make a difference?
HSE has its own important aspects. I believe we lead to positive changes through rules and procedures created to ensure safety. We cultivate a positive mindset by cooperating, advising and training on those rules and procedures. In other words, I want to say it is the same as an educator or teacher. I feel good about my job as this is for the safety and well-being of people I work with.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given and by whom?
My mum used to say, “be a good listener”.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
My family, I am a dedicated mother of three and I get energy from my family – I try to spend as much time as I can with them.
What was your dream job when you were a child?
When I was a child, I dreamt to be a fashion designer and had several special sessions with a design teacher to achieve my dream.
If you could invite three people (dead or alive) to a dinner party, who would they be and why?
I would be delighted to invite my mum, my mother-in-law (both resting in peace) and my husband. We never had the fortune introduce them and to see them together.