ESTEVAN - It’s been a great run for Randy Clauson while working at the local coal mines, but he has decided it’s time to do something different.
Clauson retired from the mines on May 5 after 42 years of employment.
“I started when I was a teenager, and thought I just wanted a few good years of retirement, and so I thought now was a good time,” Clauson said.
He pointed out his wife is already retired, and that was a factor in his decision to leave the mines now.
Clauson said he became interested in a career in mining thanks to all of the big equipment.
“I grew up on a farm near Torquay, and saw the big equipment and was drawn to it,” said Clauson.
He was able to work on that big equipment as well, as he ran it and worked as a heavy-duty mechanic.
When he started in 1980, he was working on a dozer, which he did for 10 years. Then he shifted to pumping water for six years. There was a smaller dragline with a bucket capacity of 35 yards that he operated for a year.
“I ran it just long enough to get an appreciation of the job those guys do that run those draglines, the skill that comes with it. I never really got good at it. I thought I would give the shop a try, so I went from there to the shop.”
He apprenticed as a heavy-duty mechanic for about 10-12 years.
Clauson finished his career as a blaster.
He enjoyed the people he worked around and was always happy to be around the big equipment. He really liked operating the dozer, and calls himself a dozer operator to this day because of the skill it required.
“The blasting that I did the last few years, I enjoyed it, too. All of them were good. That’s the nice thing about the mine is you can bid from department to department, and do something new without going anywhere.”
He had to be at work on time every day, and his work required a certain amount of skill.
“I met lots of characters, lots of people who were pretty memorable,” said Clauson.
The industry hasn’t changed as much as some might think. They still dig a hole to extract the coal. But now there is more extensive record keeping, and they need to record how much dirt is moved.
The draglines haven’t changed that much, but the coal hauling equipment is bigger and the loading equipment has grown. The technology is better, making it a little more comfortable for the operators.
Safety is also a greater point of emphasis.
“Everything rides a little smoother and runs a little smoother,” said Clauson.
All three of his children have gone into mining at various points, and it was rewarding to see them in the industry, because it was a very good career for him.
Clauson is thankful for the mine workers, because they were always there for him, and to the various coal companies he worked for, most recently Westmoreland Mining Holdings LLC, for allowing him to remain at the mines for so long.
He looks forward to spending lots of time camping during the summer months, and is eager to enjoy other activities he couldn’t do before.
