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Chamber to continue focus on reducing mine fatalities, injuries

MILESTONE IMPERATIVE The focus remains on reducing serious injuries in the mining industry by 20% by December 2016 and on reducing lost-time injuries by 20% from January 2017

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SILVER LINING The mining industry officially reported 84 fatalities in 2014 – the lowest ever in its history

Photo by Bloomberg

18th September 2015

By: Mia Breytenbach

Creamer Media Deputy Editor: Features

  

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The Chamber of Mines (CoM) continues to focus on implementing the safety milestones agreed on at the 2014 Mine Health and Safety Tripartite Summit, held in November 2014, particularly eliminating fatalities by December 2020, reaffirms CoM safety and sustainable development head Dr Sizwe Phakathi.

He highlights the decrease in injuries in the mining industry over the past year, which is indicative of the continuing and significant downward trend in fatalities since 2008, although he acknowledges a slight rise in injuries in the year to date.

“In the year to end August, regrettably, the number of injuries in the mining industry increased by 14%,” Phakathi says, noting 1 878 injuries were officially reported during this period, compared with 1 650 injuries reported from January to August 2014.

However, there has been a 19% reduction in the number of fatalities in the year to date, he highlights, noting that there were 50 fatalities recorded up to August 31, compared with 62 during the prior corresponding period.

Phakathi tells Mining Weekly that the CoM, in partnership with stakeholders from government and organised labour, remains focused on reducing serious injuries by 20% by December 2016, lost-time injuries by 20% from January 2017 and effective implementation of the safety culture transformation framework for the South African mining sector.

He further warns that mining companies and chamber members need to remain vigilant with regard to incidents, particularly during winter and the last quarter of the year, as the CoM has noted a spike in incidents and injuries during these periods in the past.

While Phakathi reiterates that the industry is still not “where it wants to be”, he notes that there are improvements, highlighting that the South African coal and platinum sectors performed better in terms of safety in 2014 than their North American counterparts.

Mining Weekly reported in January that 2014 had marked the seventh consecutive year of a reduction in the number of workers fatally injured at South Africa’s mines. “In 2013, the industry made history when it reported fewer than 100 mining deaths for the first time,” Phakathi told Mining Weekly in January. Industry officially reported 84 fatalities in 2014 – the lowest ever in the history of the mining industry.

He, however, stresses that the fatalities and injuries that occurred in the first eight months of 2015 are still unacceptable. “The chamber and its members will continue to be on the ‘front foot’ and lead by example through effective collaboration with industry stakeholders in our quest for zero harm,” he says.

The chamber, with stakeholders from government and organised labour, will ensure that the industry remains vigilant in the remaining months of the year to ensure 2015 becomes the year of the best safety performance.

“Industry has made significant progress . . . it is possible to achieve zero harm, as was shown at the 2015 MineSafe Industry Awards Day, held on August 28, in Johannesburg,” he stresses, highlighting that companies have achieved such targets, such as platinum group metals producer Lonmin, which has achieved nine-million fatality-free shifts at its shafts and was recognised as the Most Improved Mining Company at the 2015 MineSafe Industry Awards Day.

Edited by Leandi Kolver
Creamer Media Deputy Editor

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