We�re not about killing workers � BCL boss

Onalenna Kelebeile | Wednesday October 8, 2014 17:01

Speaking during a stakeholder briefing on the new Behaviour-Based Care project Mahupela said the mine takes safety seriously and would not allow activities without prioritising safety.

“The mine does not believe in killing people and bad safety is caused by people’s behaviour which may have negative impact on our safety levels,” he said.

“The Behaviour-Based Care project is intended to build confidence in the workers on what they should do and what they should not do.”

The underground mine came under fire recently after a worker died and his family accused BCL of under-compensation, in an incident that drew in opposition parties in the north-eastern town.

At the briefing, mine officials said concerted efforts had been made over the years to reduce the Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIR) with the result that from 0.6 percent in the past two years, it had recently dropped to zero.

Various officials said where injuries do take place, the majority of these are caused by risky and “non-caring” behaviour such as workers taking short cuts, failing to perform risk assessments and improperly handling manual tasks.

The manager of resource planning divisional, Harold Van Zyl said the mine has committed itself and pledged that the whole exco team visit different sections fortnightly to sensitise workers on safety. He added that there is a possibility of more frequent time frames in the future. He added that BCL safety is better than of similar mines in South Africa. “I have had no reportable LTIR for the past two months though we are doing underground mining. We will ultimately reach zero percent injuries,” he said.

Giving an overview of the Behaviour-Based Care process, IRCA Consultants representative and Behaviour-Based Care project manager Manie Mulder said the project is an initiative by BCL management to improve the risk management performance of the company. He said the project addresses a wide array of risk exposures by focusing on the behaviour of all people associated with the activities of BCL. The risks the mine is trying to minimise or eliminate include safety risks, health risks, environmental impact, production loss and also the image and reputation of BCL.

He added that managers and supervisors in BCL must also demonstrate their commitment to the Behaviour-Based Care process through regular workplace visits. He said by eliminating at-risk behaviour through the application of the Behaviour-Based Care principles, BCL would reduce the effects of its exposure to operational risk.

“Risk exposures are not limited to the protection of the health and safety of employees but also includes exposure to the risks associated with environmental management, risks associated with losses through damage to plant and equipment, production loss and harm to the image and reputation of BCL. Stakeholders can also play a role by supporting and defending the name of BCL in the public domain,” he added.

Mulder said BCL engaged their services in response to the findings of the Baseline Risk Assessment, which IRCA recently conducted at BCL.

IRCA also conducted a perception survey last year, which revealed that leaders and employees in BCL were willing to make safe production a value they live by. Also, management communicates safety related issues to employees. The survey also showed that BCL employees are committed to taking accountability for their own safety and that of their colleagues and have adequate safety clothing to do their work safely.

“The survey also pointed out that there were challenges related to behavioural issues at BCL by both employees and management that are now being attended to by the Behaviour-Based Care process,” he noted.