1. Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate
Contractors Management Workshop Mpumalanga Region Mine Health and Safety Review
David Msiza
Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate
16 February 2005
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

2. Presentation Outline Registered Mines Mine Employee Statistics
Occupational Safety Review
Occupational Health Review
Challenges
Strategies for significant improvement
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

3. Registered mines
Type of Mine
Total
Underground Coal 42
Opencast Coal 28
Gold
Platinum 12 2
Other (Chrome, Crushers, Vanadium,
Sandworks, brickworks, Quarries,
Lime, Granite,Manganese) 90
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

4. Mine employee statistics
Commodity
No. of Employees
Coal
42156
Gold
9099
Other
5629
TOTAL
56884
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

5. Occupational Safety Milestones
ZERO RATE OF FATALITIES AND
INJURIES
Gold sector
Coal, Platinum, and other mines
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

6. Year Fatality Rate Persons Killed Injury Rate Persons Injured
, ,
, ,
-51% %
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

7. Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

8. Fatality Rates per Commodity
Year
Fatality Rate
Persons Killed
% year/year
Gold
2003
0,66 6
2004
0,32 3 50
Platinum
The reason for the worsen of the fatality rates in the platinum sector was because of the rapid expansion from a low skills base and poor supervisory levels. Prior to 1994 some mines fell under the homeland jurisdiction.
If one exludes the 1994 stats the lowest rate was achieved in 1999, was 0,45.
The coal sector achieved the best fatality rate in The fatality rate was 0,38 per people at work or 0,25 Injury Frenquency Rate per million hours worked.
In the same year the Australian underground Fatal Injury frenquency rate was 0,23. While the US FIFR was 0,41 (28 fatalities) but the 10 year average was 0,24 for underground coal mines. It can be concluded that coal sector achieved the international benchmark in 2002.
The other mines achieved, the lowest fatality rate in 1998 at 0,50 which is almost the same as 2003 at 0,51.
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

9. Fatality Rates per Commodity (cont’d)
Year
Fatality Rate
Persons Killed
% year/year
Coal
2003
0,43 18
2004
0,36 15 17
Other mines
0,71 4
0,89 5
- 25
The reason for the worsen of the fatality rates in the platinum sector was because of the rapid expansion from a low skills base and poor supervisory levels. Prior to 1994 some mines fell under the homeland jurisdiction.
If one exludes the 1994 stats the lowest rate was achieved in 1999, was 0,45.
The coal sector achieved the best fatality rate in The fatality rate was 0,38 per people at work or 0,25 Injury Frenquency Rate per million hours worked.
In the same year the Australian underground Fatal Injury frenquency rate was 0,23. While the US FIFR was 0,41 (28 fatalities) but the 10 year average was 0,24 for underground coal mines. It can be concluded that coal sector achieved the international benchmark in 2002.
The other mines achieved, the lowest fatality rate in 1998 at 0,50 which is almost the same as 2003 at 0,51.
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

10. Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

11. Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

12. Fall of Ground
2003
2004
Commodity
Deaths
Rate
Gold 5
0,55
Platinum
Coal
0,12 3
0,07
Other Mines 1
0,18
Total 10 4
Major type of incident:
Work under unsupported roof
Gravity shake out (of blocks in the hanging)
Unidentified geological structures
Rockburst (but less proportionally)
Major factors in FOG
Understanding specific geological conditions
Designing for specific geological conditions
Implementation of best practice
Technology transfer
Adherence to standards
Culture of non adherence
Training – hazard recognition
Time pressures
Remuneration pressures .
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

13. Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

14. Mine Equipment Accidents
2003
2004
Commodity
Deaths
Rate
Gold 1
0,11
Platinum
Coal 9
0,21 7
0,17
Other Mines 4
0,71 2
0,35
Total 14
0,25 10
0,18
The improvement in the fatality rate for mine equipment accident improved by 37%, from 0,25 to 0,18. This is equivalent to reduction of 21 persons killed.
The sector improvements were mainly driven by the gold and platinum sectors because they have the most number of people in the sector.
Gold improved by 54%
Platinum improved by 78%
Coal improved by 16%
Other mines got worse by 7%
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

15. The improvement in the fatality rate for mine equipment accident improved by 37%, from 0,25 to 0,18. This is equivalent to reduction of 21 persons killed.
The sector improvements were mainly driven by the gold and platinum sectors because they have the most number of people in the sector.
Gold improved by 54%
Platinum improved by 78%
Coal improved by 16%
Other mines got worse by 7%
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

16. TOTAL ACCIDENTS PER YEAR PER MAIN CONTRIBUTOR JAN 1999 – DEC 2004
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

17. TOTAL ACCIDENTS PER YEAR PER MAIN CONTRIBUTOR COAL MINES: JAN 1999 – DEC 2004
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

18. DISTRIBUTION OF ACCIDENTS JAN 2004 –DEC 2004
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

19. Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

20. Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

21. Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

22. Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

23. Occupational Health Milestones
1. Elimination of Silicosis
By December 2008, 95% all exposure measurement results will below the occupational exposure limit for respirable crystalline of 0,1 mg/m3 .
After December 2013, using present diagnostic techniques, no new cases of silicosis will occur among previously unexposed individuals.
[Previously unexposed individual = Individual unexposed prior 2008 (i.e equivalent to a new person entering the industry at 2008)]
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

24. (Continued) 2. Elimination of Noise Induces Hearing Loss
After December 2008 the hearing conservation programmes implemented by industry must ensure that there is no deterioration in hearing greater than 10% amongst occupationally exposed individuals.
By December 2013 the total noise emitted by all equipment installed in any workplace must not exceed a sound pressure level of 110dB(A) at any location in that workplace.
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

25. Compensation paid for NIHL for 2003 was R52,2 million for 7 241 cases
Compensation paid for NIHL for 2003 was R52,2 million for cases. The large number of cases in 2002 was due to the eminent change in the threshold for compensation. From now onwards the number of cases figure is expected to stabilise.
Sometimes the consequences to over-exposure are irreversible!
Some concerns are the reporting levels in terms of the number of mines and the accuracy of samples taken. Manipulation of results.
SASOL refused the DME to get access to their dust samples results. This was definitely in contradiction with the spirit of the MHS Act.
Gold improved by 2%; coal 9%; other mines got worse by 2%. The overall improvement was a mere 1%.
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

26. Challenges Inspectorate as Employer of Choice
Change in Legislation/ Compliance:
- Awareness
- Change Management
- Lack of Accountability
Increase of Small Scale Miners
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

27. Challenges (Cont.) Elimination of Recurring Accidents:
+ Inadequate Health and Safety Management Systems-
- Culture
- Risk Management
- Lack of effective training
- Improper Mine Accident Investigations
- Effectiveness of health and safety representatives
Informal/Illegal Miners
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

28. Compensation data - accepted as evidence of past exposure.
The asbestos compensation emphasizes the lag time between exposure and diagnosis.

29. Strategies to eliminate/reduce reportable accidents and ill health
Awareness campaigns:
- Discussions with Executive/mine management/Unions
- Health and safety workshops
- Newsletters and Newsflashes
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

30. Strategies (cont.)
Enforcement: Visibility by Inspectors
Coal
Gold
Other
Total
Audits
166 28 49
243
Inspections
438
100
134
672
604
128
183
915
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

31. Enforcement: Mines/working areas stoppages
Strategies (cont.)
Enforcement: Mines/working areas stoppages
Sector
Section 54
Section 55
Total
Mine Safety 83 30
113
Mine Equipment
227 9
236
Occ. Hygiene 38 63
101
Occ. Medicine 3 26 29
351
128
479
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

32. Strategies (cont.) Enforcement: Administrative Fines No of Mines
Total Amount
(R’000) 31
810
Commend Mine’s Health and Safety Achievements
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity

33. Thank You !!!
Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa for Development and Prosperity