Mining Health and Safety
November 5th, 2008The Health and Safety culture in the mining industry needs to change. This was the message from Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica on Tuesday as she challenged mining bosses to “walk the talk” on transformation of Health and Safety in that sector.
Minister Sonjica spoke at the SA Chamber of Mines annual general meeting in Johannesburg. Despite the progress made in regulatory reform with the Mine Health and Safety Act, the legacies of the past remained, she told the meeting.
“We are still dealing with some of the impact of many discriminatory practices which were allowed by the legislation such as disproportionate compensation systems, the inferior housing, poor working conditions and a general neglect of Health and Safety,” she said.
Health and Safety statistics in the mining sector has only improved marginally and this might indicate that performance improvement plateau have been reached. What is required here is that the mining sector must take a new and radical approach to Health and Safety issues.
The Mine Health and Safety amendment bill currently discussed in Parliament sought to address the problems that had been identified after consultations with relevant parties, and to contribute to the stimulation of a new approach to Health and Safety that will ensure increased performance in that area.
The Health and Safety summit held recently has also provided a shift from previous summits in terms of coming up with concrete action plans to be implemented by all concerned in mining.
“We need to address all critical challenges facing us, which includes among other things, the need radically to transform our Occupational Health and Safety culture,” Sonjica said at the meeting.
Minister Sonjica said that the industry needs to take a fresh look at the old values and norms and if the mining sector wants to become the best in the world, they will need to move away from those values associated with South Africa’s past.
The minister said that the industry has adopted values at the previous summit that will form a good foundation for a real cultural transformation and that this will require leaders who are committed in driving this cultural transformation. The CEO’s need to take charge and drive reform from the top down to the workers.
“I therefore challenge all our leaders to walk the talk in driving this cultural transformation that we desperately need.”
Sonjica refered to the report on the presidential Health and Safety audits in the mining industry. The report has been finalized, the results analysed and the report had already been handed to President Kgalema Motlanthe.
President Motlanthe now needs to go through the report where after the findings would be announced to the public, she said.
Source: Sapa
Related Posts
- Construction Workers Feel Unsafe
- South Africa. Following the tragic death of their fellow friend and colleague who was killed after a building collapsed recently,
more » - Energy Saving Culture Needed
- South Africa. Authorities should consider a combination of financial incentives and punitive measures to inculcate a culture of energy
more » - SHEQ Articles In New Book
- DISCUSSING SHE&Q ISSUES
This limited edition book by Christel Fouche titled "Discussing SHE&Q Issues" was compiled due to various requests from
more » - E.C. Health Department’s Medical Waste
- South Africa. The Auditor General has provided a picture of wholesale financial mismanagement in the Eastern Cape Health department.
His reports
more » - Safety of Woman In The Working Environment
- Woman in the working environment has become a more prominent force over the past decade due to factors such as
more »
