• MINING INDABA
scraper path as the scraper ropes were slack and not moving , only for the winch to start up again . As the person enters the scraper path the winch operator may have to re-start to continue with what s / he was doing after just temporarily stopping to remove an obstruction . The result is an accident .
Much work has been done in the past to address the issue of safety related to winches . The Mine Health and Safety Council report ( SIM 050203 ) was developed as a guide to the industry on “ Best Practice : Scraper Winch Systems .” In this report , several basic causes of unwanted events related to scraper winches are mentioned . There are also suggestions on actions to be taken when making use of scraper winches to make mining safer .
ZERO HARM in the mining industry can only be achieved when every person working in and on the mine is capacitated to understand the ' why ' of the rule and fully understand the risks to which they or their colleagues will be exposed . Therefore , building the ' why ' into training modules regarding instructions and rules is also a major focus . Only suitable training and controlled exposure will help to improve the situation where the correct judgement call must be made in a split second .
As per the MHSA requirements , the hazards and associated risks of the job must be constantly evaluated . New methods and controls must consistently be developed to create new safer ways of work , thus resulting in less risk exposure . Therefore , we must not give up in seeking solutions and in developing diverse ways to remove the rock from the blasted face on the reef horizon . The industry is testing in stope low profile remote dozers . These projects require support , funding and a willingness to move the industry away from inherently dangerous situations and high reliance on persons making the correct decisions in a split second . •
About the author : Philip Coetzer is a mining engineer registered with ECSA and holds a mine manager ’ s COC . Starting off his career in 1984 as a learner official in the Anglo-American Gold and Uranium division , he worked his way through the ranks to the mine shaft manager position . Coetzer moved from gold to platinum mining in 1999 at Anglo Platinum to start up the Bafokeng Rasimone Platinum Mine . He was involved with direct mine production management up to 2007 and in 2008 moved to the Safety , Health , Environment and Risk portfolio . Coetzer was the president of the Association of Mine Managers of South Africa in 2017 , serves on several structures at the Minerals Council of South Africa and the Mine Health and Safety Council , and is currently the Head : SHER of RBPlat .
Philip Coetzer , Head , SHER ( Safety , Health , Environment , Risk ) at Royal Bafokeng Platinum .
Philip Coetzer
28 • African Mining • January 2023 www . africanmining . co . za