The campaign has seen a continued improvement of overall safety trends over the past two decades as a direct result of the various tripartite health and safety initiatives adopted by the industry. The increase in fatalities this year is the first reversal in nine years.
“It is intended for the tripartite leaders and their stakeholders in the South African mining industry to reflect on the current occupational health and safety (OHS) performance and the achievement towards implementation of 2014 agreed mine health and safety milestones,” says Chamber of Mines CEO, Roger Baxter, called for major safety improvements at the recent Mine Occupational Health and Safety Tripartite Summit.
“Prior to this summit we heeded the call to address concerns that were being raised by stakeholders and held a Tripartite Leadership Workshop to reflect on this performance convened by the Mine Health and Safety Council.”
At the end of the workshop, there was consensus amongst all the partners in that things had to be done differently if the sector wanted to achieve the milestone targets and ultimate goal of Zero Harm. The outcome was that a declaration of actions to be taken collectively was urgently needed and five key priorities and related actions (the pledge) were agreed upon which are as follows:
Action: Principals and leaders of all stakeholder groups commits to meeting at least on two facilitated sessions on health and safety matters per annum.
Action: All stakeholders will address the issue of trust deficit amongst the stakeholders moving from a transactional to transformative approach on OHS matters.
Action: All stakeholders - the MHSC, organised labour, state and employers - will commit to improving communication across all levels to ensure that the message of Zero Harm reaches all mine employees and contractors, and in so doing support and permeate actions intended to improve OHS throughout the industry.
Action:Stakeholders will collectively and collaboratively empower supervisors, health and safety representatives and employees through extended visible felt leadership and empowering conversations.
This will not only be implemented by employers but also other stakeholders from organised tripartite stakeholders will also strive to empower women in mining on safety and security challenges, personal protective equipment and hygiene issues that impact on them.
Action: Each mining company will commit to hosting an annual health and safety day tailored to their respective needs as part of their overall health and safety campaigns.
