photo：Principals pledging their part in achieving Zero Harm
TRIPARTITE LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP:
Prior to the Summit, the Mine Health and Safety Council convened a Tripartite Leadership Workshop – under the leadership of the Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources, Godfrey Oliphant -on 12 October 2016, to address concerns raised by stakeholders regarding the state of occupational health and safety in mining.
This is especially important in the context of extremely disappointing fatality numbers in 2016, as compared to 2015. Deputy Minister Oliphant urged that the industry pledge that there will be no more fatalities until the end of the financial year.
The workshop allowed all stakeholders to review the industry’s current Occupational Health and Safety performance in respect of the 2014 Summit OHS milestones and targets; identify the areas of concern influencing the industry’s current OHS performance and the impact on the achievement of Summit milestones and targets; analyse the interventions applied and mapping out what worked and what did not; discuss what the different stakeholders can do collectively and individually to bring about a step change to improve the industry’s OHS performance; and explore new ways to address challenges facing mine occupational health and safety.
The Chamber of Mines President, Mr Mike Teke, notes that “the session was a great success through robust discussions and presentations made by different stakeholders expressing their views on pertinent issues relating to occupational health and safety on the South African mining industry”.
At the end of that workshop, there was full consensus that all stakeholders will have to do things differently if the sector is to achieve the milestone targets and our ultimate goal of Zero Harm.
To this end, the Pledge was signed by leaders of all industry stakeholders at the Mine Occupational Health and Safety Summit, allowing all participants to act as witnesses to the commitments that have been made.
The mining industry worldwide is undergoing unprecedented changes, including high volatility of commodity prices and rising exploration costs. Africa, which produces more than 60 metal and mineral products, has a huge potential with respect to mineral reserves exploration and production.
THE MHSC TRIPARTITE PRINCIPALS PLEDGE:
1. TRIPARTITE VISIBLE FELT LEADERSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
Action: Principals and leaders of all stakeholder groups commits to meeting at least on two facilitated sessions on health and safety matters per annum.
2. TRUST DEFICIT
Action: All stakeholders will address the issue of trust deficit amongst the stakeholders moving from a transactional to transformative approach on OHS matters.
3. COMMUNICATION
Action: All stakeholders - the MHSC, Organised Labour, State and Employers - will commit to improving communication across all levels to ensure that the message of Zero Harm reaches all mine employees and contractors, and in so doing support and permeate actions intended to improve OHS throughout the industry.
4. EMPOWERMENT OF SUPERVISORS AND EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT
Action:Stakeholders will collectively and collaboratively empower supervisors, health and safety representatives and employees through extended visible felt leadership and empowering conversations. This will not only be implemented by Employers but also other stakeholders from Organised Labour.
