First aid vital in many aspects -Motlhabani
Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday August 21, 2018 12:00
Giving a keynote address at the 38th ODLM interdepartmental first aid competitions at Orapa Sports Hall on Saturday, Motlhabani urged ODLM workers to not only take first aid principles at the workplace.
He said: “Our theme of ‘Preserve life-through first aid’, advocates for awareness of first aid principles to all and not only in the workplace. We are aware that we encounter a good number of accidents at homes, cattle posts, play fields and many other domestic settings”.
First aid, Motlhabani noted, is an initial intervention required to reduce consequences suffered from the occurrence of emergencies to facilitate the chances of survival.
“It is an essential skill for life-saving, which all should have at home, work, play and other settings. These competitions give us an opportunity to assess the readiness and effectiveness of our first aid in our mining operations. We want to ensure that our employees are ready for treating injuries in the event of an accident,” Motlhabani said.
Motlhabani said the 13 teams taking part in the event were expected to skillfully demonstrate the recommended application of first aid.
“We expect to see creativity in re-enactments that should ultimately teach us how to preserve life, prevent aggravation of injuries, call for professional assistance and promote recovery prior to arrival of professional medical practitioners,” Motlhabani urged the employees.
As already alluded the value of experiential learning, Motlhabani noted, cannot be overemphasised.
“I encourage you to pay attention in order to adopt skills that enhance a safety focused lifestyle and attitude in all that you do. Always remember to put safety first, take ownership and accountability for your safety and those around you,” Motlhabani said.
He reiterated: “It has been established that first aid training provides more than the knowledge and skills to effectively respond, it also provides the confidence to act when needed in an emergency situation. So, if your loved ones have never done safety and first aid training, do consider it”.
The Senior Human Resources manager at ODLM, Lydia Sesinyi echoed Motlhabani’s sentiments.
She said that first aid skills are very important because anyone can find themselves having to administer first aid skills at the workplace, home, public roads and other areas.
“This event gives us a great experiential learning platform where we can share experiences, sharpen our knowledge and wisdom by reflecting on our daily practices as we live the ‘Put safety first value’,” she emphasised.
Sesinyi said mining industries are highly prone to accidents that require first aid application before the arrival of medical assistance.
“This is despite efforts by mining entities to achieve zero harm or to prevent accidents in the working environment. To ensure that we are above board, the National Inter-mine First Aid competitions are hosted by Botswana Chamber of Mines (BCM) annually,” Sesinyi said.
The department of ore processing took first position, followed by drilling and blasting, security and Damtshaa respectively.
The security department over many years has dominated the competitions.
The security department also dominated the National Inter-mine First Aid competitions.