CRADLE TO GRAVE •
BLASTING KEEPS LIGHTS ON
“Despite the many disruptions caused by the virus, it is crucial
for the economy and livelihoods that mining returns as quickly
as possible to a level of normality,” says Ralf Hennecke, BME’s
general manager: technology and marketing.
According to Hennecke a return to blasting in many
underground mines is necessary to prevent the build-up of rock
pressure that could make workings unsafe. Hennecke says that
BME has made all the necessary organisational adaptations to
serve its mining customers as they re-open operations.
“While complying closely with the Covid-19 regulations,
we have made sure that vital blasting services to customers
continue,” he says. “We work closely with customers and
suppliers to ensure safety protocols such as social distancing,
hygiene and screening are applied wherever we work.”
BME
Ralf Hennecke.
Through South Africa’s strict Covid-19 lockdown, blasting
experts and essential service provider BME has supported coal
mines’ blasting operations so that Eskom power stations can
keep the country’s lights on.
A range of compliance requirements governed essential service
providers during the national lockdown, including permission to
travel and the accompanying documentation. BME put these in
place early in the lockdown period to ensure that its work – and
the role of its own suppliers and third-party transporters – could
continue efficiently.
BME’s own production facilities have been able to continue
operating safely with a skeleton staff, thanks mainly to the
deployment of small teams across various facilities and the
highly automated production of certain lines. “Our automated
facilities also ensure that quality is prioritised and maintained
even under these lockdown conditions,” says Hennecke. •
ONE COVID-19 POSITIVE
One good thing during the Covid-19 lockdown was that people
had extra time catch up on reading. According to Nico Pienaar
CEO of surface mining industry association ASPASA, miners
should have used this time to prepare to work more effectively.
Pienaar says the time could have been used to brush up on
some of the skills that are lacking in the industry. In addition to
the Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA), production optimisation
and operations managements literature, he said that miners
across all spheres could make use of the association’s vast
resources that are available online.
These include health and safety, legal, environmental,
government liaison, HR training, transport, technical and
engineering bulletins, information sheets and reports that can
be used to prepare and improve operations. In many instances,
the information contains updates of legislation and best
practices and is an invaluable toolbox for those who have not
kept up-to-date with the trends in the industry due to work
pressures or other reasons.
“The information available on our website is accurate,
trustworthy and free-of-charge to anyone who visits the
site. It provides days-worth of information, tips and tools to
perform more effectively in future. Newsletters, newsflashes,
and updates are also distributed to our members and
even during lockdown we are keeping members updated
with Covid-19 updates and responses, as well as sharing
information about mine maintenance and the resumption of
work when it happens.
“We are in constant communication with government, the
Minerals Council South Africa and other stakeholders in the
industry and are keeping members up-to-date with the latest
happenings. We therefore strongly recommend making use of
our online portal www.aspasa.co.za,” says Pienaar. •
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visit our website
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African Mining Publication
African Mining
African Mining • May 2020 • 51