More changes are coming to Vale’s Manitoba Operations.

Alastair Ross, the recently-appointed head of Vale’s North Atlantic division, sent out an email recently to employees saying that the planned maintenance shutdown of Manitoba Operations will be extended by three to four weeks.

Ross explained that the extension is due to a number of serious high potential incidents in the last few weeks, which he believes have been caused by employees being “more prone to accepting risk, distraction and even shortcuts” due to the transition and uncertainty facing the mining industry in Thompson.

The former director of Ontario Mining Operations for the Brazilian company, explained that the extra time will be used to quote engage every member of the Thompson workforce in a deeper commitment to operational excellence and to contribute to guaranteeing the safety of the workplace, in addition to the ongoing effort to optimize production.

Ross said that extension will not result in any temporary layoffs, and that everyone is expected to come to work when they’re scheduled.

The recently-appointed head of Vale’s North Atlantic division also announced that Warren Brass will be retiring in the fall after 37 years, and the current manager of the Garson Mine in Sudbury Ontario will become the interim manager of Thompson Mines.