Exemplifying the highest recognition for its practice of, and commitment to, occupational health and safety, Exxaro Resources today is proud to announce that it has achieved five years without any fatalities across its mining operations.
“Earning this milestone validates our commitment to our rigorous safety requirements,” says Exxaro Executive Head for f, Mongezi Veti. “Employee safety is woven into every aspect of our business conduct.”
This remarkable milestone is anchored on the Mineral Council of South Africa’s (MCSA) Zero Harm initiative, which led to the launch of Exxaro’s Khetha Ukuphepa (translated as Choose to be Safe) campaign, which was launched in 2019. The campaign has created widespread safety awareness, led to a change in behaviour and increased vigilance.
The company reviews its safety target every year, based on prior performance, and applies stringent management protocols, programmes and systems in accordance with the Mine Health and Safety Act 1996. The leading causes of incidents are trackless mobile machinery, fall of ground, energy and machine isolation, lifting and material handling, as well as poor risk awareness and discipline.
Exxaro’s business unit (BU) management teams investigate every occurrence of a safety incident in terms of lost time injury, which is an injury sustained on the job by an employee that results in the loss of productive work time. A skilled committee, headed by an independent chairperson, investigates fatalities and high potential incidents, those safety events that could have led to serious injury should a person have been in the vicinity at the time.
These investigation findings are reported to the executive committee and the Risk and Business Resilience committee, and escalated to the Board.
The mining and energy solutions company - also provides on-the-job training to ensure well-trained people are in suitable positions. Each BU tracks adherence to standards and legislation through a safety improvement plan of self-assessments and corporate audits.
The outcome of these safety efforts, has been improved morale and performance resulting in the safety success experienced over the past five years.
Mr Veti said it was concerning that the mining sector had recorded a rise in the number of people killed in workplace accidents over the years.
“One death is one too many,” said Mr Veti. “I know that as an industry we are highly concerned with safety, but we must renew our efforts to ensure that worker safety is at the top of the priority list every day. Our success over the past five years therefore marks a great achievement not only for our company but for the future of the mining sector.”