THE MINING Health and Safety Council has singled out the platinum mining sector for increased safety inspections, but it also says it will investigate the use of powers under the law to call for work stoppages when fatal accidents occur.
Speaking before the parliamentary committee on mineral resources, MHSC acting chairman David Masiza said the platinum sector had accounted for about 30% of total mine fatalities in the past year and he also said managers had been disingenuous when saying they had complied with the law.
"Often they tell an inspector they have done what was required, and then when a visit is made, it has been found that it was not so," he said.
Earlier this week Anglo American Platinum reported that its fourth quarter production had dropped by 19% to 710000 ounces, which would bring its productions to a total of 2.547 million ounces which was lower than its 2011 goal of 2.6 million ounces.
Amplats also reported that its production had been interrupted due to its operations having suffered 32 incidents last year compared with 16 incidents the year before.
Lonmin said on Thursday: "During the first quarter of our financial year our industry has been subject to an uncharacteristically high level of safety inspections from the Department of Mineral Resources, with a resultant increase in Section 54 notices.
"This has had an adverse effect on production and in our opinion increases safety risks as operating momentum is interrupted."
Masiza said the DMR, along with the MHSC, was considering putting in place a task team to investigate the issuance of the Section 54 work stoppage notices.
A Section 54 notice is issued when a mining inspector orders a work stoppage after a death or other accident and is issued in terms of the Mine Health and Safety Act.
Masiza said the main complaint by the mining houses was not the notices, but rather the length of the work stoppages.
He defended the stoppages saying since the system was implemented in 2007/08, mining-related fatalities had decreased sharply.
Mpumelelo Gona, chairman of the mineral resources committee, said the law had to be enforced rigorously.
"One cannot compare human lives with lost production," he said. -
Work stoppages spark row
THE MINING Health and Safety Council has singled out the platinum mining sector for increased safety inspections, but it also says it will investigate the use of powers under the law to call for work stoppages when fatal accidents occur.
Speaking before the parliamentary committee on mineral resources, MHSC acting chairman David Masiza said the platinum sector had accounted for about 30% of total mine fatalities in the past year and he also said managers had been disingenuous when saying they had complied with the law.
"Often they tell an inspector they have done what was required, and then when a visit is made, it has been found that it was not so," he said.
Earlier this week Anglo American Platinum reported that its fourth quarter production had dropped by 19% to 710000 ounces, which would bring its productions to a total of 2.547 million ounces which was lower than its 2011 goal of 2.6 million ounces.
Amplats also reported that its production had been interrupted due to its operations having suffered 32 incidents last year compared with 16 incidents the year before.
Lonmin said on Thursday: "During the first quarter of our financial year our industry has been subject to an uncharacteristically high level of safety inspections from the Department of Mineral Resources, with a resultant increase in Section 54 notices.
"This has had an adverse effect on production and in our opinion increases safety risks as operating momentum is interrupted."
Masiza said the DMR, along with the MHSC, was considering putting in place a task team to investigate the issuance of the Section 54 work stoppage notices.
A Section 54 notice is issued when a mining inspector orders a work stoppage after a death or other accident and is issued in terms of the Mine Health and Safety Act.
Masiza said the main complaint by the mining houses was not the notices, but rather the length of the work stoppages.
He defended the stoppages saying since the system was implemented in 2007/08, mining-related fatalities had decreased sharply.
Mpumelelo Gona, chairman of the mineral resources committee, said the law had to be enforced rigorously.
"One cannot compare human lives with lost production," he said. -
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