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Strong Sheq adherence stands quarry in good stead

4th July 2014

  

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Cement and concrete manufacturer AfriSam says its Coedmore sand and stone quarry, in Bellair, KwaZulu-Natal, has survived tough market conditions and robust industry competition by adhering to strict safety, health, environment and quality (Sheq) principles.

“Our Sheq credo has been instituted and instilled in all our employees through a successive line of highly participative plant managers. The result is an operation that consistently achieves showcase status for its unblemished safety record, while simultaneously maintaining high-quality product output,” states AfriSam.

The company notes that one of its biggest accolades in terms of health and safety is Coedmore’s performance in the Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of Southern Africa’s (Aspasa’s) health, safety and environmental audits.

“For the last five years, Coedmore has received showplace status – an achievement that sets it apart as a quarrying operation and underlines AfriSam’s stated values of people, planet and performance,” AfriSam enthuses.

AfriSam construction materials KwaZulu-Natal regional manager and previous Coedmore quarry works manager Jurgens du Toit says the company’s commitment to its stakeholders is not to accept mediocrity and to recognise that “injury is not something that happens to someone. Rather, it impacts on a colleague or a friend who plays a valuable role in the company”.

He points out that the Aspasa audits are an important aspect of Coedmore’s safety programme.

“Aspasa’s audits not only provide us with a checklist and yardstick with which we can measure our performance, but they also focus on trends within the industry. Through the audit protocol and the knowledge sharing that transpires from it, we are able to determine any potential shortfalls and to rectify them immediately.”

Safety Focus
Du Toit highlights that there have been no lost-time injuries recorded at Coedmore quarry since September 1, 2008.

He notes that AfriSam emphasises high levels of safety compliance and has implemented several safety programmes, such as the competency based safety (CBS) programme, implemented to achieve organisation-wide occupational health and safety awareness.

Du Toit adds that, in keeping with the company’s continuous improvement programme, AfriSam last year rewrote its safety procedures, which stipulate how AfriSam employees are to carry out work on the crest of drilling and blasting areas at Coedmore quarry.

“Specialised input was received from indoor and outdoor rock climbing specialist Southern Rock and rope and harness supplier Eire Contractors,” he notes.

As AfriSam made an effort to collaborate with Coedmore, its vendors and the Department of Mineral Resources, a practical and user-friendly system has been rolled out at all of AfriSam’s KwaZulu-Natal operations.

He further notes that when drilling or blasting takes place, blue poles – which are supplied by fibreglass products manufacturer Glassfibre Products & Services – are sunk into the ground 3 m away from the crest and a static climbing rope – red on top and blue at the bottom – is strung between the poles to indicate where the no-go areas are.

“The drilling operators are then required to attach the harness they are wearing to a double-rope system whenever they work closer than the poles to the crest,” he explains.

About Coedmore Quarry
Coedmore’s pit is 110 m at its highest face and 46 m below sea level, and is surrounded by an array of strategically planted and nurtured indigenous vegetation.

“This forms part of AfriSam’s environmental development programme, which was implemented at the quarry in 2002,” Du Toit adds.

Coedmore’s management team has also ensured that harmonious relationships have been established with local residents.

“We have implemented several measures that reduce the impact of our operations on local residents. These include the installation of meters to monitor sound, air quality and dust levels at strategic points throughout our site,” says Coedmore Quarry current works manager Sagie Jaganaikulu.

“We undertake systematic cleaning of the Londonspruit river, which enters and exits our property, and we are active members of the local industrial liaison forum, which further improves our relationship with neighbours through information sharing,” he says.

In addition, Jaganaikulu explains that the quarry’s systematic and strategically planned rehabilitation programme involves the removal of alien invader plant species and the planting of thousands of indigenous trees, shrubs and plants, in collaboration with local horticultural company Natal Landscapes.

“We have planted 11 896 trees, shrubs and ground covers at Coedmore quarry since 2002,” he points out.

The quarry produces a variety of aggregate including 53 mm ballast; 53 mm, 37 mm, 26.5 mm, 19 mm, 13.2 mm, 9.5 mm and 6.7 mm concrete stone; scour, or armour rock, and selected first crush: G1, G2, G4, G5 and G7.

The quarry also produces 19 mm, 13.2 mm and 9.5 mm roadstone, on request.

“A yearly output of 1-million tons is not uncommon and, at any point in time, the operation maintains a stockholding of 8 000 t of product on the intermediate stockpile,” states Jaganaikulu.

He highlights that AfriSam has invested heavily in its laboratory, where all products are regularly tested to ensure quality compliance within specific parameters.

“Normally, one sample in every 500 t of product is tested, with additional testing taking place whenever plant changes or specialised products, such as roadstone, are required. In some cases, three to four samples are tested a day to ensure that specifications are being met,” Jaganaikulu says.

He notes that the quarry was “extremely busy” during 2013, supplying 120 000 t of scour to the project for widening the Durban harbour, and drafting G5 and G7 base-course material to the Umgeni Road Interchange project.

Edited by Samantha Herbst
Creamer Media Deputy Editor

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