[miningmx.com] – IN 2015 mining companies in South Africa reported the lowest fatalities ever recorded since the dawn of the industry.
Mines Minister, Mosebenzi Zwane, earlier today announced last year’s health and safety statistics in the sector, and lauded the industry for the progress made in protecting the health and safety of mineworkers.
A breakdown of the statistics compared with 2014 shows that:
* Compliance with statutory reporting has increased;
* More mining companies operated for one year without any fatalities;
* The rate of mining-related diseases such as silicosis, pulmonary tuberculosis and hearing loss decreased, while asbestosis increased substantially by 50%.
The breakdown of fatalities by sector is as follows:
* Gold mines: 33 fatalities in 2015 vs. 44 in 2014 – a 25% improvement;
* Platinum mines: 22 fatalities in 2015 vs. 16 in 2014 – a decline of 38%;
* Coal mines: 5 fatalities in 2015 vs. 9 in 2014 – a 44% improvement;
* Other mines: 17 fatalities in 2015 vs. 15 in 2014 – a decline of 13%.
As far as industries were concerned, the platinum sector reported a significant spike in injuries up from 796 in 2014 to 1,331 in 2015. The two years are not strictly comparable, however, as three of the major platinum companies did not work for five months owing to the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union’s strike.
Zwane said South Africa’s mining sector compares favourably with industries in the US and Canada with regard to fatality rates.
He singled out De Beers, Exxaro, Sasol, and Northam Platinum, among others, as mining firms that had reported no fatalities in the oversight period.
The Chamber of Mines of South Africa said in a statement that although there was an overall reduction in fatalities the industry could not rest until every mineworker returns from work unharmed every day.
“We mourn the loss of our 77 colleagues to accidents in 2015 and those we have lost in the beginning of this year,” it said.
Four Impala Platinum miners lost their lives this past weekend when a fire broke out at its number 14 shaft in Rustenburg.
