Safety

The group has 10 Golden Rules which cover a variety of activities and if applied correctly will prevent most of the serious or life threatening incidents. These rules are strictly enforced and management is based on “zero tolerance”, an approach that requires an absolute adherence to standards at all times and an intolerance to “at risk” behaviour and unsafe conditions.

THE 10 GOLDEN RULES

The operations are fully accountable for communicating, training and implementing safety procedures based on these Golden Rules.

Anglo Fatal Risk Standards

Anglo American plc`s vision is to achieve Zero Harm through effective management of safety at all operations.  Experience has shown that there are a number of high level hazards sistuations that are realized relatively often.  Death or serious injury is the likely consequence.  In seeking to address these situations, Anglo American has developed a set of mandatory standards that address these high level hazards and their potential consequences.

These Anglo Fatal Risks Standards (AFRS) have been developed by examining industry best practice and by utilizing our own experience of fatal accidents.  The Standards establish the minimum performance requirements for managing the identified fatal risks.

The Standards do not represent comprehensive coverage of all fatal risks faced by our operations but focus on the risks that have resulted in the majority of fatalities in recent years.

Visible Felt Leadership (VFL)

Managers visit different areas of their plants for at least one hour every week. The objectives of these visits are to observe the behaviour of employees and to talk to employees where “at risk” behaviours are noted. The employee is coached in the correct behaviour and a commitment obtained from the employee to work safely in the future. Where safe behaviour is noted, this is reinforced and the employee congratulated on working safely. At the same time, the manager discusses any safety concerns the employee may have. Following these visits, safety observation cards are completed.

Behaviour Based Safety (BBS)

This is a process in which employees are empowered to identify their own critical behaviours, to make pacts with fellow employees to assist them in carrying out their own safe behaviour and to look after team members. Trained employees from the workforce are also used to observe other workers’ behaviour and these observations are analysed. When adverse trends become apparent, they can be acted upon immediately. The BBS process also allows for communication channels to be improved.

All employees, including senior management, have been exposed to training on Behaviour Based Safety principles, some in the classrooms, others at work. Specialised training was also given to the process champion, the behaviour intervention assessors (BIA’s) and the coaches. The function of the coaches is to observe employees at work and to note safe and “at risk” behaviour. Where the latter is observed, the employee is coached in safe behaviour.

Contractors

In the South African operations, all induction training of contractors is performed by an external agency, KB Consulting. On completion of induction training, contractors receive an access card that is valid for one year. This has had the advantage of allowing Scaw's training departments to focus their efforts on their own employees. In addition, contractors no longer require repeat induction training when working at different group sites.

Future Objectives

The ultimate objective is zero lost time injuries.

There is no doubt this can be achieved provided both management and the employees continue to “buy in” and carry out the VFL and BBS process with dedication.

The culture of safety that has developed needs to be taken to a higher level and this is certainly achievable.