Every day, across the vast terrain of Simandou, thousands of workers rise before dawn, put on their gear, and commit themselves to building safely. They work under the sun, amid the mountain and machinery, guided by one shared belief that every task, no matter how small, deserves to be done safely.
Among them, certain individuals stand out. They’re the ones who take real care with their Job Hazard Analyses, who speak up in toolbox talks, who report a near-miss without hesitation. They keep their work areas orderly, call out unsafe behaviour, and rally their crews around doing things the right way.
These are the people recognised by the monthly Safety Standout Award. The Safety Standout Award – often called the “Golden Helmet” on site – is our way for management to spotlight those who live our HSE values. It gives line supervisors a tool to reinforce safe behaviours and to celebrate the positive actions we see every day. It’s open to everyone on project: SimFer staff, contractors, consultants, and visitors. Winners are announced at the monthly mass toolbox meeting, in front of the whole workforce and the leadership team. We zero in on practical impact: excellent hazard reporting, safely executing a high-risk task, outstanding housekeeping, driving a safety improvement, or stepping up as a safety leader on the ground. Recipients receive practical gear – caps, backpacks, polos, notebooks – that keeps safety visible.
This year, to make the recognition even more meaningful, SimFer’s management team introduced a unique experience: a helicopter flight over the Simandou site for the five most recent Golden Helmet winners: Kourouma Safiatou (IBS), Doukoure Moussa (Covec), Keita Aboubacar (Sinosteel), Yu Deli (Chalieco), and Sanoh Oumar (Covec) as our safety ambassadors.
From the air, the scale of Simandou came into sharp focus. The winners saw the full sweep of infrastructure, camps, and haul roads set against the vast landscape. It was a powerful reminder of how every individual’s commitment fits into the larger picture of safe operations.
“From the sky, I saw the site like never before,” said Keita Aboubacar. “It reminded me why safety matters — every corner, every person, every task.”
“I never imagined I’d be flying in a helicopter because of safety,” said Doukoure Moussa. “It shows that even small actions are seen and valued.”
“It was emotional,” added Sanoh Oumar. “I looked down and thought, ‘This is the land I help protect.’”
“I felt proud,” said Kourouma Safiatou. “Being the only woman on that flight underscored that safety has no gender. It’s everyone’s duty. Our role counts, full stop.”
Yu Deli, a Crane Team Leader from Chalieco, put it simply: “Safety is not just about rules, it’s about people. It’s making sure everyone here gets home safe to their families.”
The helicopter flight symbolized that message perfectly. From above, the winners saw the progress of the project and the impact of their own vigilance. Every safe decision, every reported hazard, every moment of leadership contributes to protecting lives and preserving this land.
Because at SimFer, safety is our highest and only priority.