• Print manager
  • Print page now
  • Add page to print list
  • View print list
• Bookmark
  • Add this page to your favourites
• GRI Index
  • Visit the GRI Index
• Share this page
  • Share this page on social networking sites

Safety

Safety in South Africa

Management approach

Safety management is a line management responsibility, supported by corporate safety and health personnel and undertaken within the framework of a co-operative health and safety management system. This system involves the active participation of management, unions and representatives of the DMR at all levels, and is aligned with the Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA). The strategy is guided by an Occupational Health and Safety Policy (PDF - 104KB).

The chief executive officer (CEO) and chief operating officers (COOs) are responsible for safety strategy and management at Harmony’s operations. They then, in turn, delegate responsibility to the relevant general and plant managers for implementation and monitoring.

Harmony’s objective is to eliminate all work-related injuries. Each operation is monitored on a monthly basis using a formal review system per operation, and a review of the major safety issues is carried out annually during the Health and Safety Workshop. Safety performance is a parameter in all management and employee incentive schemes.

Health and safety committees are in place at all operations as required by the MHSA. These are made up of management and elected employee representatives, and ensure employees’ active participation in safety and health management through the appointment of full-time health and safety stewards and health and safety representatives. All safety representatives received additional training, in line with the revisions made by the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA). There were 52 full-time health and safety stewards in place at the South African operations in FY10. The health and safety committees meet monthly to examine employee health and safety issues. This is reinforced by the formal health and safety agreements in place at all operations to deal with similar issues.

A total of 190 occupational health and safety personnel were trained as OHSAS 18001 lead auditors in FY10. The OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001 standards have also been adopted and a gap analysis will be completed in FY11 to determine whether these two standards can be implemented on an integrated basis.

A key event in the safety calendar at Harmony is the annual Health and Safety Strategic Workshop. This year’s workshop was held in June 2010 with participation by executives and management teams. Various safety management aspects were identified to be implemented in FY11 and monitored on a quarterly basis. The main safety points include:

1. fall of ground prevention;
2. trucks and tramming;
3. occupational health and hygiene;
4. metallurgical plants; and
5. environmental management/occupational health and safety management systems.

Safety management and performance targets have been set in compliance with Harmony’s 2013 safety milestones and are included in the performance parameters at each operation. The 2013 milestone is a fatality rate of 0.03 per million hours worked. This milestone was set by the CEOs of all mining companies and the Mine Health and Safety Council during the 2003 industry safety summit.

Safety performance

The fatal injury frequency rate (FIFR) remained unchanged year-on-year at 0.21, while the lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) improved further by 17% to 7.73 (FY09: 9.35), a pleasing achievement. Harmony’s reportable injury frequency rate (RIFR) improved by 16% to 4.19 compared to the previous year (FY09: 4.97). The all injury frequency rate (AIFR) improved by 9% to 17.05 per million hours worked (FY09: 18.73).

A total of 27 254 shifts were lost as a result of occupational injury, a 19% reduction on the previous year (FY09: 33 435). This is significant as shifts lost provide a useful indication of the severity of occupational injuries. (The company allocates 90 shifts lost for each fatality.)

The six top primary causes of fatal accidents in FY10 were gravity-related falls of ground (56%), trucks and tramming (14%), seismic falls of ground (10%), over-exertion* (10%), scraper winches (5%), and conveyer belt incidents (5%). In FY09, falls of ground were responsible for 41% of fatal accidents, 27% of which were gravity-related and 14% of which were seismic accidents. (*The over-exertion autopsy ruling is highly irregular and relates to the death of two employees who entered clearly sign posted and walled-off areas that were unventilated. The employees are suspected of having been engaged in illegal mining activities).

South Africa	LTIFR		FIFR
Operation	FY10	FY09	FY10	FY09
Virginia and BUSH operations	12.86	12.38	0.36	0.06
Masimong	7.37	8.67	0.13	0.27
Target	3.43	9.66	0.40	0.40
Bambanani	9.20	7.48	0.14	0.15
Tshepong	12.22	15.82	0.18	0.62
Joel	4.26	2.59	0.30	0.00
Phakisa/Nyala	8.40	9.19	0.54	0.00
Evander	7.41	10.39	0.20	0.16
Doornkop	5.50	6.25	0.27	0.00
Kusasalethu	6.88	12.67	0.14	0.36
Asset Management Forum	9.83	2.92	0.00	1.46
South Met	1.58	5.52	0.00	0.34
North Met	5.88	7.24	0.53	0.00
Total Harmony SA	7.73	9.35	0.21	0.21

The DMR has been vigilant in its approach to ensure compliance with safety legislation. It has in some instances, however, imposed stoppages for minor administrative reasons which negatively affected production and could have been resolved either immediately or in a short space of time. Harmony is working closely with the DMR to resolve these issues, so to minimise safety stoppages, and to ensure that all safety standards are adhered to and implemented at all its operations.

Harmony’s aim continues to be the achievement of safe, profitable ounces. In FY10, management ensured that a safety culture continued to be instilled at all operations through the implementation of behaviour-based safety programmes.

The following operations completed FY10 without injury:

• Evander workshops
• Joel plant (operational for seven months)

The following operations completed FY10 without any lost time injury:

• Kalgold pit
• Joel plant (operational for seven months)
• Harmony plant
• Evander workshops and services
• Free State and Randfontein commercial services and transport

Safety in PNG

Management approach

The Harmony South East Asia Executive Committee (Exco) oversees safety performance at Hidden Valley in PNG. As safety management is a line management responsibility, there are safety managers at each operation who report to the operations/exploration steering group committees who then report to Exco. Safety strategy is guided by the company’s Health and Safety Policy Statement (PDF 104KB).

Harmony is developing a sustainable business management system (SBMS) within MMJV which is aligned to the AS 4801:2001, an occupational health and safety management system. The SBMS will be externally audited every two to three years against this safety management standard.

Harmony is moving towards a performance measurement system based on organisational and individual performance in which safety will be measured. Business performance indicators are being developed and will be in place by FY11.

Risk assessments are conducted at site level in the form of work safety and environmental analyses to ensure that each job is completed in a safe and efficient manner. The identification and management of hazards in the workplace is important for the improvement of safety performance and has been a key focus at MMJV in FY10.

A business, production and safety improvement programme was developed in FY10 based on the Newcrest Mining Six – Sigma Lean Programme and is designed to actively involve management in continually improving and meeting targets in all aspects of the business, especially safety. Among the focal points of this programme are daily meetings at which all managers and other senior staff are updated on activities across the site for the previous 24 hours. This update reviews any safety-related issues, including significant potential incidents, injuries and other incidents that occurred in that period.

The work system wheel (WSW) was introduced across the MMJV operations in early 2010 with the aim of developing a controlled and safe work environment. The WSW is a graphical representation – a version of which has been translated into Pidgin – which highlights the four elements required to ensure safe production: controlled work environment, trained and competent people, fit for purpose equipment and safe work practices. This concept encourages everyone to ensure the four elements are in place at all times. The objective is to expand the model across all management levels in addition to the mines.

Safety performance

The FIFR increased to 0.2 (FY09: 0), as did the LTIFR year-on-year to 0.7 (FY09: 0.1). Harmony PNG’s AIFR also increased by 15% to 37.4 per million hours worked (FY09: 32.5).

Safety performance in FY10 was marred by one fatality. Samson Salwan lost his life in a vehicle accident on the road between Bulolo and the mine on 14 February 2010. The board and management regret this incident and extend their condolences to Samson’s family and colleagues.

After a review of incidents at the Hidden Valley mine over a 12-month period which identified a general failure in safety practices, poor contractor vehicle maintenance practices, and poor driver competency, management carried out a safety management plan review with all contractors. Specific safety key performance indicators were developed for each contractor as per the requirements of the PNG Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) and these will be monitored on a monthly basis by the various safety managers in FY11.

In addition, various safety-related training courses were held at MMJV in FY10, ranging from internal basic first aid to courses conducted by the National Safety Council of Australia.

Dealing with illegal miners in South Africa

A critical issue at Harmony’s Free State operations has been that of illegal miners who put themselves as well as company employees at risk. Harmony does everything reasonably practicable to proactively address illegal mining activities, which in FY10 included liaising with the DMR, the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Justice, private security companies and the affected communities. Further tripartite negotiations and investigations initiated by the Minister of Mineral Resources are currently under way in this regard. The company also communicates regularly with employees across the board on the effects of illegal mining. In FY10, Harmony’s close working relationship with the unions assisted in the implementation of a ‘food ban’ at the Free State operations with the aim of controlling illegal mining. Access control measures have also been upgraded at Harmony operations with regular security underground surveys implemented to curb illegal mining activities.