Cracking the Code of Team Dynamics: Unraveling the Mysteries of Success and Failure

Carlos Pérez is the first in his family to work in the mining sector. He remembers that, while working in construction, he applied several times to the Codelco El Teniente Department until, on the fourth opportunity, he succeeded. “My whole family was happy,” he said. Today he works as a mechanical plant maintainer in the conventional Grinding and Flotation Plant.

What is your work about?
At the Flotation Works we have process pumps, well pumps and different machines that carry out the copper flotation process. We generally change belts, pulleys and pumps. We are responsible for the maintenance of this equipment and also the Retreat work.
We have a good team that we work with, along with companies that cooperate.

How did you get to El Teniente?
It was thirteen years ago, February 14th. I started in the unit mill, then I was in the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) and then I came to float and retreat.
When I arrived, the plant was almost new, so we had to organize the equipment and all the things to start with.
I used to work in teacher training and I was applying, until the fourth time I finished. It was my goal to get here, I was looking for job stability.

What do you like most about your job?
Tools, understanding why and how they work, why they fail, looking for the reason for things. Because it’s not about reaching in and changing a pump, we have to know why it needs to be changed, why it failed, and go further.

What has El Teniente given to your life?
There are many. Stability, feeling calm and seeing my children happy, that’s what I want most from a job, which allows me those things. I see my children happy because I can be with them at the weekend, also with my wife, we have a family life.

What does it mean to you to work for a company like Codelco, which presents its surpluses to all Chileans?
It is a pride to contribute our grain of sand, I feel happy to be here and know that we are a contribution.

What safety advice would you give to the Division’s employees?
Safety is essential for us, so we don’t have to do the work in a hurry, but rather consciously, step by step, review the protocols, see what we have to bring to carry out the tasks. Here we are all clear that safety is essential to get the job done. That’s why we all have to look after ourselves, we have families and we have to think about our colleagues too.