Debswana grows first-aid competitions
Lebogang Baingapi | Wednesday August 26, 2015 15:13
The winners of the the annual interdepartmental competition will represent their mine at the Botswana Chamber of Mines Inter-Mine First Aid Tournament set for Karowe Mine on October 10, 2015. Jwaneng general manager, Albert Milton said the competition was designed to promote high health and safety standards in all operations. He added that the event was an opportunity for Debswana to showcase its pledge towards zero harm.
“This commitment stems from our belief that it is possible to eliminate injuries and indeed achieve zero harm”, he added.
“Accidents occur occasionally and during these times, first aid becomes paramount. It should remain a component in the mining business.” Milton added that first aid competitions allow employees to transfer skills and learn from each other on how to save lives. They also provide workers with an opportunity to introspect on their level of readiness to render first aid.
“As Jwaneng Mine we are committed to timely responding to emergencies and hence we recently trained the first Debswana top paramedics and pro-team member,” he said.
Chief Judge for the competition, Dr Keletso Maribe, said standards had been raised at this year’s edition of the event with displays of scientific understanding on simulated patients.
He said participants had demonstrated teamwork and clear leadership as well as outstanding displays of safety measures.
“They were also methodical and attended to hidden injuries,” he said. Team Security, Ore Processing, Project A and Mining A made it to the top four in the competition, before team members of Ore Processing were crowned winners. A representative of the winning team, Fenellah Thebe, told Mmegi that workers were determined to uphold high safety standards.
“We take training seriously. For us, first aid means saving lives,” she said.
The Ore Processing team, which won last year’s competition within Debswana, is confident of winning the Botswana Chamber of Mines event in October.