KwaZulu-Natal Region

Transcription

1 Dec 2011/ Jan 2012 Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate: Monthly Regional Newsletter KwaZulu-Natal Region Postal address: Private Bag X 54307, Durban, 4000 Physical address: 333 Anton Lembede Street, Durban Bay House, Durban, 4000 Enquiries: Mr G Amos Tel: Fax: sindy.dlamini@dmr.gov.za

2 1. TOPICAL ISSUE OF THE MONTH As per our previous Newsletter, we continue with the issues surrounding Codes of Practices (COPs) with regard to ensuring the health and safety of all employees and all persons who are not employees but directly affected by the activities at a mine. In accordance with Section 9(3) of the Mine Health and Safety Act, as amended (the MHSA), a COP required by the Chief Inspector of Mines must comply with the guidelines issued by the Chief Inspector of Mines. These guidelines must be followed whilst the COP is site-specific. Guidelines are available from the DMR website or contact the offices for assistance with obtaining these guidelines. Ambiguity within each COP and between COP s is often a problem highlighted. This means that one COP states the opposite to another COP. An example of this is the bench width and height sizes in COP s for opencast mines and quarries with regard to Slope Instability and TMM s. This is often caused by different disciplines doing the different COP s on the mines. Please have measures in place to ensure that this does not occur. 2. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 2.1. Occupational Hygiene Change house facilities remain a concern on many mines in KwaZulu-Natal. Change house are required for all employees that perform risk work in a mine or quarry. These facilities are to be sufficient in number for the number of employees at a mine and must have locker facilities for each employee clean clothes and personal affects. 2

3 Laundry facilities are also required to wash their dirty clothes at the end of each shift so as to have clean clothes for each person at the beginning of the next shift. These change house facilities need to be cleaned on each shift (if multiple shifts are worked) and be checked for Fungi and Bacteria on a regular basis as per the mine s standards Occupational Medicine This month s topic is Tuberculosis and herewith an extract of an article published that has reference on the mines in KwaZulu-Natal. (From titled SA miners have worst TB epidemic in the world Wilma Stassen) JOHANNESBURG - Gold miners in Southern Africa are probably the group worst affected by tuberculosis (TB) in the world. This is according to Dr David Mametja of South Africa s National TB Programme. World TB Day is commemorated on the 24th of March, and as part of the celebration, the South African Ministry of Health is planning to launch a campaign to test and treat hundreds of thousands of miners for TB over the next year. Some fear a testing campaign will overwhelm the health system with new TB patients. Mametja, however, said that doing nothing would only worsen the situation as an infected person who is not on treatment can infect 10 to 15 others in a year, and that late stage TB is much more difficult and expensive to treat. In a recent interview, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi compared the country s TB burden to a snake, and said that TB among mineworkers the fangs of the snake. Speaking at a briefing earlier this week, Mametja also emphasised government s concern about the high prevalence of the disease among miners, and said that it is holding an entire region back in the fight against TB. 3

4 Health risks for miners The TB situation among mineworkers is aggravated by the migratory nature of employment in this industry, which contributes to the spread of this highly infectious disease among miners, their families and communities and in the wider population. The fact that mineworkers are often separated from their families and live in all-male hostels also mean that they are at high risk of contracting HIV, which further increases TB vulnerability. Tuberculosis is the main cause of death in HIV-positive people, whose immune systems are weakened by HIV. Gold mining has also been linked to silicosis, an incurable lung disease caused by dust inhalation which increases vulnerability to TB. Another unique challenge is that many mineworkers are cross-border migrants, which makes it difficult to track TB patients and ensure treatment continuity, which increases the threat of multi drug-resistant (MDR) TB and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB. This is compounded by the fact that mineworkers generally have limited medical benefits and compensation and often struggle to access health facilities because mines are usually in remote areas. Declaration to tackle TB in miners In response to this, the Southern Africa Development Community, in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration, Stop TB Partnership and the World Bank hosted a regional stakeholders consultation meeting in Johannesburg to draft a Declaration and Code of Conduct on regional collaboration to deal with crossborder TB issues in the mining sector. The Declaration aims to ensure commitment and accountability by member states to improve the lives of those affected. The draft Declaration and Code of Conduct on TB in Mines resulting from this consultation will be endorsed by Health Ministers in April this year and tabled at an upcoming SADC Heads of State Summit taking place later in August, for adoption by affected countries. 4

5 3. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY This accident occurred in one of the other mines and is shared as it has a very graphic or shock value that can be shown and included in safety talks and possible inclusions in standards and codes of practice. Accident Involving Acetylene Cylinder A fitter left an Oxygen and Acetylene cylinder on the back seat of a Toyota double cab over the weekend. The Acetylene cylinder valve was not fully closed and a leak occurred. Over the weekend the Acetylene accumulated in the van. On Monday morning the fitter approached the van and opened the door, a large explosion took place. The ignition may have been caused by either the internal light circuitry, the automatic door control, mobile phone which was on the front seat of the vehicle, or lighting a cigarette. The fitter was also a smoker. He sustained damage to his eardrums and facial injuries. As you can see by the attached photo he was extremely lucky!!!!!! Don't let safety be something you learn by accident. 5

6 Compressed and liquid gas cylinders shall be secured in a safe manner. Materials that can create hazards if accidentally liberated from their containers shall be stored in a manner that minimizes the danger. 4. AUDITS, INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS 4.1. Inspections No occupational hygiene and medicine inspections were planned for the month. INSPECTION DECEMBER 2011 JANUARY 2012 Planned Actual Planned Actual Mining inspections Occupational Hygiene inspections Occupational Medicine inspections Machinery inspections Statutory inspections Audits For the month of December 2011 and January 2012 the following number of audits was conducted. AUDIT DECEMBER 2011 JANUARY 2012 Planned Actual Planned Actual Health & Safety Management Systems Audit. (Group) Health Audits (Hygiene and Medical) Safety Audits (Mining and Machinery)

7 5. SECTION 54 / 55 Section 54 Section 55 Conveyor belt without an emergency stop facility No tail-end pulley guard Evaluation of type or method of support in the seam following a roof fall accident Investigate and install a "hydraulically operated temporary support jack" on the roofbolt Machines. Retraining on the use of barricades Unauthorised access into workings Entry into unsupported area No safety berms Working in a tunnel without a hard hat Unsafe excavator No protection on live wires Changehouse facilities unhygienic No/ inadequate escape routes COP's and SWP's Emergency preparedness Stone dust barriers Update COP for slope instability and for TMM's. Earthing of steel containers Sub standard crane hooks Forklift working without safety belt Conveyor start-up siren not working Stakeholders must be represented on H&S policy. Relevant COP's to be prepared No valid medical certificates Refuge bay was found to be in poor condition. First Aid Equipment not in place Repairing of haulroads Highwalls not in line with COP s COP on conveyor belt installations Developing and implementing COP s Implementation of declaration records Safety signs Checklists not completed Implementation of COP's High dust levels 7

8 6. EXAMINATION The next set of examination will take place at our offices during April and May A roster and dates will follow. 7. LEGISLATION No new legislation to present. 8. REGIONAL OVERVIEW 8.1. Accidents from KwaZulu-Natal Region A Bankman's assistant was injured when the Gantry Crane operator lifted the concrete bucket off the Traverse car, causing the Traverse car to move backwards trapping him between the traverse car and the traverse stopblock. Whilst walking in a split leading to the feeder breaker, the now injured stepped on the piece of coal. In so doing he slipped and fell. An employee was fatally injured during an underground Fall of Ground. The deceased and two fellow employees were in the process of drilling a face when the roof came down. An electrician was doing work on a live 550 volts circuit, when a flash occurred causing burns to his hands. An employee was assisting in opening a noisy pump to do fault finding on the unit. While removing belts the pump ran in reverse trapping his fingers between the v-belts and pulley. 8

9 8.2. Challenges Time and again this office receives applications for permissions/ approvals/ exemptions framed under the Minerals Act Chapter 9 Regulations. Kindly note that the new Chapter 4 Explosives Regulations of the Mine Health and Safety Act 1996, as amendment, have come in force since 01 July This means that the old Chapter 9 Regulations under the Minerals Act, 1991, are repealed. All previous and current permissions/ approvals/ exemptions made under these Minerals Act Chapter 9 Regulations lapsed as from the 01 July Mines are thus required to develop and introduce a Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) and a Safe Working Procedure (SWP) regarding the security, receipt, storage, issuing, transportation, usage and destruction of explosives as per the Mine Health and Safety Act Chapter 4 Regulations as amended. Please forward to this office your new SWP in this regard. The mine will then apply for any possible permissions/ approvals/ exemptions under the new Chapter 4 Regulations of the Mine Health and Safety Act, should they be required Performance No record achievements were received for the last period. 8.4 Notices We welcome Mrs Sebastienne Mabena who joined the inspectorate in the capacity of Inspector of Mines: Occupational Medicine. She may be contacted on