Diversified miner Anglo American’s Isibonelo colliery has been awarded the Department of Mineral Resources’ safety flag for 2010/11, which is the highest and most prestigious award given to a mine with a good safety record.

The safety achievement flag is awarded to mines showing the greatest reduction in the number of days lost owing to accidents when comparing two consecutive three-year periods.

Isibonelo colliery, which is located near Secunda, in Mpumalanga, has not recorded a lost-time injury in three-and-a-half years. It completed 4 000 fatality-free production shifts in 2010. The operation employs 289 employees and 377 contractors and mines five-million tons of thermal coal a year for conversion into synthetic fuels by petrochemicals giant Sasol.

The thermal coal business as a whole achieved significant success in 2010, with all nine South African mines operating without a fatality.
In line with its safety culture and practices, promoted by leadership at all levels, Anglo American believes it has achieved a step change in safety performance. Globally, fatalities declined from 44 in 2006 to 14 in 2010, representing a 68% improvement. The company’s lost-time-injury frequency rate fell from 1,16 (per 200 000) to 0,57 during the same period. This represents a 51% improvement.

Minister of Mineral Resources Susan Shabangu says: “An achievement of this nature is a result of dedicated leadership and sustained effort on the part of everyone on the mine.”

Anglo American’s thermal coal business unit CEO Norman Mbazima praised his team for their continued focus on safety: “Our fatality-free performance in 2010 raises the bar for us to accomplish even more and proves that high levels of productivity can be achieved safely. All credit must go to our employees, labour unions and leaders for their hard work and collaboration, which have enabled us to reach this milestone”.

Acting chief inspector of mines David Msiza says that this achievement serves as an encouragement for all in the mining industry to ensure that zero harm becomes a reality in all operations in South Africa.