• HEALTH AND SAFETY
THE QUEST FOR ZERO HARM IN SA MINING CONTINUES
In our pursuit of achieving robust safety and reaching the ultimate goal of ZERO HARM – it is imperative to establish , introduce and consistently maintain a resilient safety system , writes Philip Coetzer , Head : SHER ( Safety , Health , Environment , Risk ) at Impala Bafokeng .
Image by Umit Yildirim | Unsplash
At the beginning of 2023 , the DMR chief inspector of mines , David Msiza , presented an overview of the lagging indicators for fatalities and reportable injuries experienced in the 2022 calendar year . Remarkably , the South African Mining Industry reported its safest year to date in terms of fatal accidents . In 2022 , there were a total of 49 tragic incidents resulting in the loss of lives among workers . While this represents significant progress , it is essential to emphasise that in pursuit of the goal of " ZERO HARM ," even one fatal accident is one too many .
In 2021 , there were 74 tragic fatalities in the line of duty , with 20 of them attributed to FOG ( Fall of Ground ) accidents . In 2022 , the total number of FOG-related fatal accidents decreased to 6 , marking a significant Year-on-Year ( YOY ) improvement of 70 %. In 2021 , FOG incidents constituted 27 % of all fatal accidents , while in 2022 , they accounted for just 12 % of the total fatal accidents – even with the overall reduction in total fatal accidents by 34 %. This represented a significant and positive shift in the reduction of FOG-related fatal accidents .
Past differentiators Following the announcement , inquiries emerged with questions such as , " What was the catalyst behind the significant improvement in FOG fatalities ?" and " What led us to this success ?" In response to these queries , the industry articulated its approach , highlighting the implementation of the Trigger Action Response Plan ( TARP ); the categorisation of stope panels into low , moderate and high-risk zones with respect to FOG hazards and the subsequent tailored supervisory measures integrated into the safe declaration process .
Additional safety measures included the introduction of in-stope bolting , stope netting and netting on the face in development ends . Some mining companies went even further – installing permanent steel netting on the hangwall of the advancing face and on the face itself to safeguard drillers . The introduction of these engineering controls was expected to enhance FOG safety performance . Just before the period under review , the leading practice on Ledging was also rolled out in the South African mining industry . In 2022 , these efforts began to yield positive results .
52 • African Mining • January 2024 www . africanmining . co . za