Employee safety

Employee safety

OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS ZERO HARM

Overview of performance

Ensuring the safety of our employees, and of all the other people who work at the Company's operations, is our first priority in the management of our business. Unfortunately, despite our focus on safety, 13 people lost their lives at work in 2009 at Anglo American Platinum Limited (Amplats). We are acutely aware of the human tragedy each of these fatalities represents and extend our sincere and deepest sympathies to the families and colleagues of those who died, and to others also affected by their deaths.

Each fatality at Amplats is thoroughly investigated, to ensure that corrective action is taken across the entire Company to prevent a recurrence of its cause.

Although it remains unacceptable for people to get injured or lose their lives at our operations, the downward trend seen in a number of safety indicators is nevertheless encouraging. The number of fatalities at Amplats's operations has been decreasing over the past three years: from 25 in 2007, to 18 in 2008 and 13 in 2009. A full breakdown of rates is provided in the following table.

Of the 13 fatalities at our operations in 2009, five were due to falls of ground, three were transport-related, two were due to falling objects, one was caused by contact with moving machinery, one was due to exposure to blasting fumes and one was the result of falling from a height.

The lost-time injury-frequency rate (LTIFR) improved considerably, from 1.74 in 2008 to 1.37 in 2009 (a reduction of 21%).

This improved safety performance was achieved despite the fact that 2009 proved to be a challenging year for Amplats. The organisation underwent major restructuring, particularly of its Rustenburg and Amandelbult operations, and experience has shown that organisational restructuring often results in instability and uncertainty and in a corresponding deterioration in safety performance. Our belief is that a restructured Amplats, with its more focused managerial operational units, will be able to deliver further improvements in safety performance.

At Amplats the number of stoppages initiated by employees and management is considered to be a key safety indicator and is monitored as such. This approach encourages a culture of reporting unsafe conditions or actions in order to take appropriate corrective action. In excess of 15,000 stoppages were recorded during 2009, with 58 of them section 54 notices issued by the Department of Mineral Resources under the Mine Health and Safety Act. All the stoppages were investigated and the appropriate actions taken to rectify the situation. Stoppages lasted from a few minutes to a couple of days in some instances.

STRATEGY

Amplats's improved safety performance in 2009 can be linked to the Company's sound and stable safety approach. In early 2009 it drew up a safety strategy and plan based on an extensive gap analysis of its existing safety management strategies and programmes. Amplats's strategy continues to be based on a vision of 'zero harm' and on the three principles of 'zero mindset', 'no repeats' and 'simple, non-negotiable standards'. The strategy is also based on a philosophy of a comprehensive, integrated and systematic approach. There are four main focus points to the strategy: safety management systems; behaviour change; engineering and technological solutions; and wellness in the workplace.

The safety strategy remains aligned to past initiatives and best practices, and will be reviewed by senior management in early 2010, with input from Anglo American plc, to evaluate what enhancements can be made. The review process will be overseen and assured by PricewaterhouseCoopers. 

Safety management systems

The aim of safety systems is to create a systematic framework for the management of hazards and their associated risks. Our safety management system incorporates the requirements of the OHSAS 18001 standard and of the Anglo Safety Way, and also includes specific standards such as the Anglo Fatal Risk Standards. An IT system known as IRM.NET has been under development at Amplats during the past few years and now forms an important part of the Company's safety management systems. Using input from safety and other inspections, IRM.NET allows management to monitor working areas with a deteriorating safety risk profile so that corrective action can be taken before an incident actually occurs.

This information helps management to focus its attention proactively, and to show visible leadership in those areas requiring the most attention.

As part of the system, focus was placed on risk management training. In total, 1,532 employees were trained in 2009.

Professional safety trainers provided a valuable source of learning, as seen from these statistics on course attendance: 

  • Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment: total trained: 624
  • SHE Representative: total trained: 1,329 

Uncontrolled falls of ground remain responsible for a high percentage of lost-time injuries and fatalities. Consequently, falls of ground management was identified as a major strategic focus, and a fall of ground management system (FOGM) was developed to integrate and refine existing efforts to eliminate such falls.

The system is supported by a policy of 'no rock will fall uncontrolled'. It consists of six pillars designed to cater for the different aspects and phases of our operations.

The six pillars are:

  • Macro design - during the mine design phase.
  • Micro design - includes ongoing support design aspects.
  • Implementation - focuses on ensuring that implementation actually happens against design plans. 
  • Monitoring - focuses on checking and auditing against design and the standard. 
  • Review - requires management review of the system.
  • Research - requires research and development of new technologies to eliminate falls of ground. 

This systematic, line management-driven system recognises and supports existing safety systems, combining them with rock engineering efforts and controls to eliminate uncontrolled falls of ground. Because varied geological profiles and different mining depths across the Group's operations have had to be taken into account in the process of developing the system, it is envisaged that its full implementation will require until the fourth quarter of 2010 to complete. 

Behaviour change

Following the launch of the Company values in 2008, the Leadership Academy was tasked with helping to embed the concept of 'living' the behaviours implicit in these values among employees. The following three programmes were developed and implemented in 2009: 

  • The Commitment Workshop, the aims of which are to:
    • generate a profound commitment to, and belief in, the possibility of realising zero harm; 
    • translate belief and commitment into actions and behaviours that will entrench the intended transformation of values within the Company's operations; and 
    • build foundations for sustainability within operations, to ensure that commitment is transferred down the management line. 
  • The Frontline Supervisory Programme, which was created to:
    • build skills and capability in teamwork, communication, planning, organisation and accountability in order to develop leaders; 
    • provide the tools and approaches required to enable and empower leaders to deliver on the commitment to zero harm and to Company values; and 
    • to date, 78% of employees in the target audience have been trained. 
  • The Personal Change Programme, which is intended to:
    • free individuals from the constraints and the cultural legacy of the past by developing better relationships and an understanding and knowledge of each other; and
    • allow all employees to have a voice, so as to enable the development of a culture of trust, dignity and respect. 

The Personal Change Programme was launched in July 2009 at Mogalakwena Mine, and was officially opened by the CEO, Neville Nicolau. To date 549 employees have attended programme workshops. 

The CEO, together with 90 members of the Amplats leadership group, participated in a half-day workshop session of the Personal Change Programme.

Engineering and technological solutions 

Amplats has redesigned some of its key mining equipment in order to 'design out' specific injury hazards. The process of identifying hazards and of finding ways to eliminate them is also an ongoing one. The text box in safety includes some examples.

Wellness in the workplace

This part of the safety strategy focuses on ensuring that employees are healthy and fit to perform their work safely. The Company has a number of employee health programmes including TB, HIV/AIDS, stress management and counselling. These programmes are discussed in more detail in the health section of the report.

SAFETY ACHIEVEMENTS

Although much still needs to be done to eliminate all injuries across the Group, some operations achieved significant safety milestones in 2009 on their journey to zero harm. Achievements such as operating fatality free during the fourth quarter of 2009, or concentrators operating without a single lost-time injury in 2009, are significant.

Leaders from across the mining industry congregated at Sun City for the first-ever Hard Rock Mining Safety Summit in September 2009. The summit, jointly organised by the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) and the Association of Mine Managers of South Africa (AMMSA) focused on sharing the sciences and techniques associated with health and safety in the mining industry. 

In his opening address, AMMSA President, Mr Frik Fourie, emphasised the importance of a tripartite approach to managing health and safety in the mining industry. "We believe that safety is not only the responsibility of the manager, nor of the government or even employees or unions. Rather it is our joint responsibility" said Mr Frik Fourie.

Some of the more significant safety achievements, as well as the awards presented at the hard rock mining safety summit, are detailed in the table below. 

"This was a very successful year on our journey to zero harm in terms of achievements; we have, for the first time in Amplats's history, achieved in excess of 100 days fatality free; our lTIFR of 1,37 is at a record low." 

SAFETY FOCUS IN 2010

The safety programme in 2010 will centre on a number of priorities. To begin with, a management review of the safety strategy and plan will take place early in the year to identify opportunities and areas in need of further improvement. To ensure a holistic approach, numerous stakeholders will give input into this process, including Anglo American plc.

Further work is to be done on traffic management across all Group operations, with the objective of ensuring that people and mining equipment are kept apart whenever possible. For example, people should not be walking in travelling ways in the mine where heavy machinery and equipment are in operation, and separate travelling ways must be developed to eliminate the hazard.

Additional effort will also go into improving the overall management of risk. Traditionally, the Company has been very good at assessing risks. However, its subsequent management of risk-mitigation measures has not met international best practice standards. Work will be done across the Group to improve our risk-management techniques and skills, including change management.

FATALITY-FREE RECORDS

  Fatality-free shifts
as at 31 December
2009
Fatality-free days as
at 31 December
2009
Siphumelele Mine 656,977 218
Khomanani Mine 2,513,229 960
Thembelani Mine 2,274,894 806
Bathopele Mine 300,610 196
Khuseleka Mine 908,360 209
Tumela Mine 3,795,443 469
Dishaba Mine 3,421,043 917
Union Mine 869,527 124
Mogalakwena Mine 432,394 502
Bafokeng-Rasimone Platinum Mine 1,690,506 385
Bafokeng-Rasimone Platinum Mine concentrators 427,244 103
Mogalakwena Concentrator 481,902 697
Rustenburg Concentrator 2,931,190 1,151
Waterval Smelter 427,042 309
Greenfield projects 1,560,062 309

All operations listed under this section have had a fatality in the last five years.

(1)  Received Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) award for significant industry achievement. Was first in class in the platinum category. 
(2) Received DMR most improved safety performance award and achieved second in class award in the platinum category. 
(3) Achieved DMR fifth in class award in the platinum category.

LOST-TIME INJURY-FREE RECORDS

  LTI-free shifts YTD
as at 31 December
2009
LTI-free months as
at 31 December
2009
Central Services (RPM) 82,577 2
Amandelbult Concentrator 25,885 2
Union Concentrator 465 5
Mototolo Concentrator 89,035 17
ACP 20,782 2
Polokwane Smelter 4,770 0
Mortimer Smelter 114 1
Rustenburg Base Metal Refiners 4,609 0
Precious Metal Refiners 234,691 11
Western Limb Tailings Retreatment 68,499 10

All operations listed under this section have been fatality free for a minimum of five years.
* Statistics included up to date of disposal (30 June 2009)