Ms. M. Hermanus Chief Inspector of Mines Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa

1. Occupational Health (OHS) and Safety at Mines and Activities of the Inspectorate 2004-05 Ms. M. Hermanus Chief Inspector of Mines Department of Minerals and Energy South Africa

2. Discussion Topics • Introduction • Key developments in the Sector • OHS performance of the Sector • MHSI profile • MHSI Strategic Objectives/Plan • MHSI activities • Challenges • Way Forward • Conclusion

3. Introduction • MHSA requires CIOM to prepare an Annual Report on: • The state of health and safety at mines • Activities of the Inspectorate • The report focuses on; • Sector’s OHS Performance • MHSI’s performance against stratplan targets • Employers responsible for OHS at mines • MHSI enforce, oversee and promote

4. Key developments • Industry Structure • Large corporations dominate (support performance rather than prescriptive standards) • Junior, small and artisanal mining emerging (need more guidance) • Older gold mines owners not well resourced • Mining Operations • U/G mines (approaching 4km, deepest in the world) • Open cast/pit • Off-shore mining

5. The Minerals Industry (cont.) • Structural changes affecting MHSI • Inter-mining / district level risks emerging e.g. water and seismicity • Growing mechanisation of platinum mines • Capacity of mature mines to maintain OHS systems • Capacity of small mines to operate safely • Administrative workload more than doubled • Employees estimated (2004): 440 000 • JSE market capitalisation: 30% • Effect of HIV and AIDs • Integration of OHS agencies

6. OHS Performance • Occupational health • Data collection and analysis a concern • Control at source a major challenge • Best practice / benchmark info starting to emerge • More visible committments to addressing health • Occupational Safety • Fatality rates improving steadily but not fast enough • Injury data available for serious accidents (>14 days) • Databases to capture all accident data still awaited

7. Safety Performance

9. Performance Comparison per Major Commodity-Fatalities

12. Performance Comparison per Major Commodity-Injuries

13. Silica Exposure

14. Exposure Data

15. Compensation Trends – Respiratory Diseases

16. Compensation Trends - Noise

17. The Regulator: The MHSI • Legislative Mandate (MHSA) • Regulate health and safety in the minerals sector • Promote health and safety at mines • Safeguard the health and safety of employees and communities affected by mining • Profile • Posts 315 Vacancies 42 • Demographics • Male 199 • Female 74 • Whites 124 • Africans 137 • Coloured 9 • Indians 3

18. MHSI Strategic Objectives • To reduce injuries and ill health • Develop Policy and Legislation for effective regulation of the sector • Provide advice and systems that monitor compliance • To improve access to information • Support Crosscutting initiatives-SMME, HIV andAIDS, etc.

19. Activity Report – Policy etc • Policy, Legislation and Management • Development of policy and legislation • 875 from 922 projects finalised-95% • mainly mine equipment legislation outstanding • Key policy issue – registration and licences to practice • Internal Guidelines for MHSI in development • Improving the MHSI capacity and operations • Restructuring implementation plan rolling out • Operational improvements underway • Information Management • Current databases maintained, improvements depend of IT inputs • Reports made available on www.

20. Activities – Regional Operations • Regional Offices • Audits- 3 311 conducted v/s 4190 planned: 1% shortfall from the 80% target • Inspections-11 380 conducted v/s 12 980 planned: 8% above the 80% target • Investigations-78% completed on time • Inquiries-83% completed on time • Statutory Notices: • Halt operations (Sect.54)-3 900 • Order compliance to H&S reqts(Sect.55)-1 731 • Shafts Stopped-60 • Working places stopped-407 • Vacancies, turnover and capacity are key issues

21. Inspections and Audits Major Issues • Inspections • Support on geological features • Support installation quality • Guarding of moving machinery nip points • Track maintanance • Lock-out of machinery and electrical gearr • Audits • Checklists and logbooks not used appropriately • Poor communication • Inadequate control of records and documents

22. Major Inquiries • Major Inquires conducted/started • DRD • Hernic • Driefonein – Inquiry to be concluded • Harmony • Northam Platinum- Joint inquest/ inquiry commenced

23. Major Inquiries • Key outcomes • DRD • Escape routes not available and/ or inaccessible • Access way excessively long • Failure to effectively manage and equip mine • Inadequate staffing • Failure to identify hazards and risks and to respond • Harmony • Excessive stoping widths • Poor and/ or lack of communication with workers • Inadequate support

24. Major Inquiries • Key challenges • Inquiries make heavy demands on resources • Inspectors face top legal experts • Very formal and time-consuming • Capacity to preside over major inquiries

25. Conclusion With cooperation and support of all stakeholders, the ideal of a better quality of life for mine workers and communities affected by mining is attainable