ZAC Chief Safety Officer Sabelo Ngema

Obhekele ezokuphepha e-ZAC uMnuz Sabelo Ngema

Goal of zero harm on track as ZAC nears 4 000 fatality-free shifts mark

ZAC is committed to achieving the goal of Zero Harm, which aims to ensure that all workers return home to their loved ones from work safe, unharmed and healthy every day.

ZAC Chief Safety Officer Sabelo Ngema – who has been with ZAC for over 32 years - is the person responsible for achieving this goal. As the Chief Safety Officer, he has to ensure the compliance and enforcement of the Mine Health and Safety Act, which entails seeing to it that workers are trained and understand the risks of working in a mine as well as making them aware of the different ways to mitigate those risks.

He says that ZAC takes tremendous pride in having completed 3 888 Fatality Free Production Shifts (FFPS) (as at 4 October 2019) which equates to 2 659 203 Fatality Free operating working hours and is on target to reach 4 000 FFPS by the end of December 2019.

“We hold mandatory daily (Tool Box Talks), a weekly Visible Felt Leadership (VFL) meeting and monthly Safety Committee meetings (Health, Safety, Security, Community and Environmental) evaluations of safety performance, paying special attention to the safety of our 1 500 employees in order to encourage them to make sure that they are working safely at all times. This is extremely important to prevent work-related injuries from occurring.”

Sabelo notes that the mine’s Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) has a 0.00 on a rolling average over the past three months and 0.30 Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) over the past 12 months on a rolling average basis – using a two million operating hours measurement. He points out that, “ZAC strictly enforces a zero-tolerance policy for unsafe acts and working conditions”.

“This is a massive achievement for the company because it reflects our high working standards and commitment to safety by preventing work injuries,” Sabelo states.

Employees are encouraged to report any incidents they may encounter by filling out a ‘Near-Miss’ report so that the company can act on these incidents and analyse the near-misses reported.

ZAC holds weekly discussions with mine management to talk about the VFL programme. This initiative seeks to improve safety performances by engaging with people in the working area and learning about their needs and concerns.

Other safety initiatives include monthly safety topics a weekly safety bulletin and highlighting any near-miss reports. The function of the safety bulletin is to record any incidents that may have occurred during that week and provides a description of the incidents as well as their severity and also includes a key learnings bulletin.

The awareness bulletin serves as a reminder for employees to follow ZAC’s ‘Take 5’ programme, which outlines how to make sure that the area that they are working in, is safe and they are using the right tools.

ZAC TAKE 5 SAFETY CHECK LIST

1. Am I physically and mentally fit for work?

2. Did I do a physical inspection of my work place?

3. Do I have the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the job?

4. Have I inspected my tools and equipment and found them in order?

5. Did I identify all the hazards that can hurt me?

6. Am I trained and authorised to do the task and/or to operate?

7. Am I sure it is safe proceed to work?

If the answer is Yes to all the above questions you can continue to work Safely. If not, consult your supervisor and re-do your ZAC Take 5

When asked about how the mine maintains its safety standards, Sabelo pointed out that, Mine Safety Officers carry out periodical inspections under risk assessment categories. These schedules are categorised into 30, 45- and 90-day areas which they need to cover in their reports. The 30-day areas are regarded as high risk, such as working underground sections. Conversely, working in the main office is considered a much lower risk and would be categorised under the 90-day area inspections.

Festive Season Safety Warning

This time of the year is called the ‘Silly Season’ because people tend to do silly and irresponsible activities during the holiday period therefore every single department is repeatedly reminded to use the campaign’s safety systems in order to achieve the Zero Harm goal. This entails watching out for each other and staying safe, while working in the mine as well as, asking workers to pay extra attention to ensure everyone is working safely in their work areas.

Regular unannounced alcohol tests are also run to raise awareness on the dangers of being under the influence of alcohol on duty, particularly while operating heavy machinery and other equipment. Colleagues are also reminded that outside of work hours, such as while travelling home, or on the way to their December holidays, not to drink and drive and are encouraged to take regular breaks when driving.

Sabelo points out that reported injuries and fatalities tend to spike during the ‘Silly Season’ because sometimes employees may take their eye off the ball, owing to tiredness and lack of concentration to safety details. This is why a festive season safety guide pack has been put together. The pack comprises of a message emphasising the dangers associated with this time of the year, lifesaving rules, the Take 5 protocol, when to do the Job Hazards Analysis (JHA), along with Section 22 and 23 of the Mine Health and Safety Act.

“The Mine Health and Safety Act particularly illustrates the need to look for hazards and to assess the risks in everything that you do at work, to follow all control measures and to report anything dangerous to your Supervisor and Safety Representative,” Sabelo emphasises.

Community Safety Initiatives

Sabelo reveals that ZAC’s Safety Department, in conjunction with the Environmental Department, is planning a campaign to raise awareness at the local schools on the dangers of the summer time season. These include drowning, snake bites, dangers of being struck by lightning, fishing in the mine dams, risks associated with entering the mine premises and climbing or riding on coal trucks while they are moving. “Brothers and Sisters Keepers – we need to work together to keep everyone safe,” he emphasises.

In conclusion Sabelo states: “There is nothing more important than ensuring the safety of all employees, including contractors, to ensure they return home safe at the end of each working day.”

Kuhamba ngokohlelo enhlosweni yokungalimali muntu e-ZAC kuhlangana amashift awu-4 000

I-ZAC izibophezele ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi akekho olimalayo emsebenzini nokuthi bonke abasebenzi bagoduka emsebenzini baphindele emakhaya bephila futhi bengalimele insuku zonke.

Obhekele ezokuphepha e-ZAC uMnuz Sabelo Ngema, osesebenze kule nkampani iminyaka engaphezu kwewu-32 wumsebenzi wakhe ukufeza le njongo. Njengomphathi wezokuphepha kumele aqikelele ukuthi uyalandelwa umthetho olawula ezokuphepha nezempilo ezimayini, i-Mine Health and Safety Act, ofaka ukuthi abasebenzi baqeqeshwe ukuthi baqonde ingozi yokusebenza emayini kanjalo nezindlela zokunciphisa leyo ngozi.

““Zonke izinsuku senza i-Tool Box Talks, i-Visible Felt Leadership
(Ezempilo, ezokhupheha, ezoku Vikeleka, ezipMphakathi
kunye neze Mvelo) njalo ngesonto nomhlangano obanjwa
kanye ngenyanga nekomidi elibhekelele ezokuphepha,
sihlola ezokuphepha, sinaka ukuphepha kwabasebenzi
bethu abawu-1 500 ukubagqugquzela ukuthi basebenze
ngendlela ephephile sonke isikhathi. Lokhu kubaluleke
kakhulu ukugwema ukulimala emsebenzini,” kusho uSabelo. ”

Uthe i-ZAC iyaziqhenya kakhulu ukuthi isiphothule ama-shift angu-3 888 (kuze kufike ku-Oktoba 4 2019) nokusho amahora angu-2 659 203 kungalimalanga muntu kanti kubhekwe ukuthi kufike ukuphela kukaDisemba la ma-shift esefinyelele ku-4 000.

USabelo uthi i-Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) yasemayini ime ku 0.00 ngokulinganiswa okwenyanga ezintathu zihamba zilandelana, njalo nokuthi i-Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) ibalelwa ku 0.30 enyangeni ezilitshumi nambili ezedlule zilandelana, kulinganiswa ngezigidi ezimbili zamahora okusebenza. Uyakhomba nokuthi “iZAC igcizelela ngokuqinile inqubomgomo yokungabekezeleli izenzo kanye nendawo zokusebenzela ezingaphephile.”

Abasebenzi bayagqugquzelwa ukuthi babike izigameko abahlangabezana nazo ngokuthi bagcwalise umbiko obizwa ngeNear-Miss ukuze inkampani izosukuma ihlole ukuthi kwenzakaleni.

I-ZAC iba nomhlangano njalo ngesonto nabaphathi bemayini ngalolu hlelo. Lokhu kwenzelwa ukuphucula izinga lezokuphepha ngokuxoxa nabantu abasebenza kuleyo ndawo nangokuzwa ngezidingo zabo.

Eminye imizamo yezokuphepha eyenziwayo wukuxoxa ngezokuphepha okwenziwayo kanye ngenyanga kanjalo nombiko ngezokuphepha owenziwa masonto onke ukubika ngezigameko ezingabe zenzeke , ezenzekile nezinto ezifundwe kokwenzekile.

Lo mbiko ukhumbuza abasebenzi ukuthi balandele uhlelo lwe-ZAC olwaziwa nge-Take 5, luchazela abasebenzi ukuthi yini okumele bayenze ukuqikelela ukuthi indawo abasebenza kuyona iphephile futhi basebenzisa amathuluzi afanele.

ZAC TAKE 5 SAFETY CHECK LIST

1. Ngiphile ngokwanele emzimbeni nasemqondweni ukuba semsebenzini?

2. Ngiyihlolile indawo engisebenzela kuyona?

3. Ngigqoke izimpahla ezifanele zokuzivikela?

4. Ngiwabhekile amathuluzi engizosebenza ngawo ukuthi asebenza kahle?

5. Ngizibhekile zonke izinto ezingase zingilimaze?

6. Ngiqeqeshiwe ukwenza lo msebenzi engizowenza nokusebenzisa umshini?

7. Nginesiqiniseko ukuthi kuphephile ukuqhubeka nokusebenza?

Uma impendulo kungu yebo kuyona yonke le mibuzo, ungaqhubeka nokusebenza. Uma kungenjalo, xhumana nokuphethe nizohlola naye futhi.

Ebuzwa uSabelo ukuthi baziqikelela kanjani ezokuphepha, uthe ababhekelele ezokuphepha emayini bahlala behlola indlela okusetshenzwa ngayo. Loku kuhlukaniswe ngezinsuku eziwu-30, eziwu-45 neziwu-90 nokudinga ukuthi kuhlanganiswe umbiko. Lezi zindawo zezinsuku eziwu-30 ngezithbalelwa ngeziyingozi kakhulu njengalabo abasebenza emgodini. Lezo zindawo ezithathwa njengezingenabo ubungozi obutheni zihlolwa emva kwezinsuku eziwu-90 njengamahhovisi.

Isexwayiso Ngokuphepha Ngesikhathi SikaKhisimusi

Ngalesi sikhathi abantu benza noma yikanjani ngoba kusuke kungamaholidi bejabule yingakho nje wonke umnyango ukhunjuzwa ukuthi wenze konke ukuqikelela ezokuphepha ukuze kuzofinyelelwa enjongweni yokuthi kungabi ibikho olimalayo. Kumele sibhekane, siqiniseke ukuthi sonke siyaphepha ngesikhathi sisebenza emayini sinaka ngokwengeziwe.

Kuhlolelwa utshwala kungalindele muntu ukuqwashisa ngezingozi zokudakwa emsebenzini, ikakhulu uma uphethe imishini emikhulu noma eminye imishini yokusebenza. Abasebenzi bayakhunjuzwa ukuthi noma bengekho emsebenzini bangaphuzi bese beshayela nokuthi bathathe ikhefu uma beshayela amabanga amade beya emaholidini kaDisemba.

USabelo ubalule ukuthi ukulimala nokushona kuvame ukwanda nge‘Sikhathi sokuPhapha’ ngenxa yokuthi abasebenzi ababe besaqaphela ngenxa yokukhathala nangokunganakisisi izinto ezithinta ukuphepha. Yingakho kunebhukwana lezokuphepha langalesi sikhathi. Liqukethe umyalezo ngezingozi ezihambisana nalesi sikhathi sonyaka, imithetho yokuhlenga, inqubo i-Take 5, ukuthi lwenziwa nini ucwaningo ngezingozi zasemsebenzini neziGaba 22 no-23 ze-Mine Health and Safety Act.

“I-Mine Health and Safety Act icacisa isidingo sokubheka izingozi nokuhlola izingozi kukho konke okwenziwa emsebenzini, ukulandela zonke izindlela zokuzigwema nokubika zonke izingozi kumphathi wakho noma kobhekele ezokuphepha,” kugcizelela uSabelo.

Imikhankaso Yokuphepha Komphakathi

USabelo uveze ukuthi umNyango wezokuPhepha e-ZAC, ubambisane nomNyango wezeMvelo, uhlela umkhankaso wokuqwashisa ngezingozi zehlobo ezikoleni zendawo. Kuzona kubalwa ukuminza, ukulunywa yizinyoka, izingozi zokushaywa umbane, ukudoba emadamini asezimayini nezingozi zokungena emabaleni asezimayini nokukotela amaloli amalahle. “Bafowethu noDadewethu kudingeka sibambisane ukuze kuphephe wonke umuntu,” kugcizelela yena.

Esephetha uSabelo uthe: “Ayikho into emqoka njengokuqiniseka ukuphepha kwabo bonke abasebenzi nosonkontileka bethu, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi bagoduka bephephile nsuku zonke.”