The protection of workers remains a priority for mining companies as zero harm policies continue to gain traction.
Rudairo Mapuranga
The mining industry in Zimbabwe has taken necessary measures to see through the achievement of the zero-harm mantra.
The country’s body, representing Large scale producers, the Chamber of Mines works with Government, labour and Small-Scale Miner organisations to ensure that mining operations cause no harm or injury to those working in mines. This is done by encouraging mines to develop and implement safety, occupational health and environmental systems at their operations.
In this regard, the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe works with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development’s Mining Engineering Department which is responsible for the safety and health inspectorate function. It works with the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) which is the lead agency for occupational health and safety in the country. In addition, it works with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the national authority on environmental management.
According to the Chamber of Mines CEO Mr Isaac Kwesu, the chamber established a standing committee of Safety, Health and Environment (SHE), whose mandate is to make recommendations to the Executive Committee on SHE issues in the mining industry.
He said through the SHE committee, that the mining sector has seen the number of deaths decreasing significantly.
“Safety, health and environment are key aspects that we must consider when undertaking mining activities and the chamber of mines subscribe to zero harm and have structures in place to ensure that there is zero harm in the mining industry. Through our SHE committee structures of the industry, we have also seen the number of calamities or casualties in mining coming down significantly. Some large mining houses have been recording zero deaths and it is common that if other mining operations learn how others are doing it through existing structures of the mining industry, we can achieve these zero harms,” Kwesu said.
For example, Bulawayo Mining Company owned gold producer, How Mine, has employed strategies to improve the safety and health of its workers which has seen it achieving a reduction in injuries from 299 to 12 per year. The company has made great strides in ensuring a safe working environment as a result of an integrated systems approach which has seen them using three different systems some of which were borrowed from the chamber of mines, SHE committee.
Victoria Falls Stock Exchange-listed nickel producer Bindura Nickel Corporation (BNC) has not recorded fatalities at its Trojan Nickel Mine since 2015 an indication that the chamber of Mines SHE committee has been of significance to the reduction of calamities in the mining industry. The company recorded BNC 2.6 million fatality-free shifts last year with Caledonia’s Blanket mine also reaching over 2.6 million fatality-free shifts last year.
The Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Dr Polite Kambamura said the government was working with the mining players to ensure that there was zero harm. He said the Ministry of Mines has been conducting safety awareness campaigns to promote the achievement of zero harm.
“We encourage miners to adhere to set safety standards by safety awareness campaigns being done by the ministry,” Kambamura said.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development Chairperson Hon Edmond Mkaratigwa said the parliament was doing all it can to ensure that the safety of workers has been achieved.
“Parliament’s position as the representative of the masses in Zimbabwe stands with what protects life as the most sacred aspect and then the body as the first capital of all sources of livelihood for all workers and their families.
“Parliament has therefore voiced against these mining accidents and all unsafe practices at the workplace and surrounding environment. We have raised concerns and when these are being addressed, we are happy and will support if there is any other need for us to unlock when any resisted difficulty but necessary options are to be taken towards achieving that target.
“I also hasten to say, we should deal with safety and zero harm but where zero harm has failed, we should still fail safely and be able to rescue and recover. This is our position that mitigation is fine, prevention is fine and response, rescue and recovery are equally fine. I commend the initiative and we support that,” Hon Mkaratigwa said.
