Risk assessment

Baseline risk assessment
At all the South African mining operations full-time risk assessment teams have completed the baseline risk assessments, as recommended in the Safety in Mines Research Advisory Committee guidelines.

Issue-based risk assessment
Local teams are carrying out issue-driven assessments in the priority areas determined by evaluation of local risks. This work requires a substantial programme that will extend for years to come.

Continual risk assessment
This has been implemented at all the mining operations where every working place is assessed on a regular basis by on-site employees, to determine the associated risks and initiate appropriate action.

Safety and health structures
Trained environmental safety and health officials are employed on a full-time basis to monitor, control and record occupational risk-related matters at all the operations.

By the end of 1998, management at each South African operation had completed negotiations for a health and safety agreement with the representative trade union. These agreements have also had the support of all other unions and associations. As a result, broad-based health and safety committees have been set up together with a network of lower-level committees to increase the involvement of employees.

Full-time union safety and health representatives have been elected and are functioning at all operations. They are proving effective in encouraging the involvement of union men. Nearly half of all working places on all the South African mines now have properly elected and trained representatives, who are also part of the safety and health committee networks.

It is expected that, with improving education standards and the growing involvement of large numbers of employees, there will be improvements in the company's safety and health performance.

Training
More than half of all employees have completed various modules of risk-assessment training. This includes a five-day course for middle and senior management and a three-day course for supervisors. The programme has been extended to include hazard identification for all employees, in order to instil a culture of continual risk identification and evaluation.

Use of technology

Seismicity
Because seismic events are the greatest hazard to underground workers, the company utilises 24-hour seismic monitoring and analysis systems in all mining areas with a history of seismic activity. The rock engineering discipline is continually developing its expertise in identifying potentially unstable mining areas, with the objective of being able to warn production crews timeously of increasing risk.

The seismic monitoring section produces quality information that is used to make recommendations on rock engineering. The seismic monitoring programme has resulted in improved understanding of seismic activity and early identification of key changes in seismic parameters.

Shaft pillar extraction
Work continues on the removal of shaft pillars (currently three) on operations in the Free State. The relatively few accidents that occurred in these difficult mining areas are considered to be the result of closer monitoring by supervisors and specialist staff. Constant monitoring of rock conditions, seismic alert systems, modified support practices and continual risk assessments, are all factors contributing towards maintaining a safe working environment.

These techniques will be of great importance during the removal of the shaft protection pillar at the Western Deep Levels West Mine. Work has begun on this hazardous undertaking.

External audits
All operations are audited at specified intervals by outside agencies. Effectiveness of safety and health management systems is evaluated in accordance with the comprehensive protocol of the International Safety Rating System. Audits were carried out at the mining operations and improved compliance with standards was registered.

During November 1998 a wide-ranging assessment of the status and effectiveness of the company's safety and health management efforts was carried out by an internationally respected expert, Geoff Green, a recently retired principal inspector of the Health and Safety Executive of the United Kingdom. His report has been received and the contents are currently under review, with the intention of incorporating these in the new safety and health strategy for 1999.

The company continues to strive towards eliminating and/or controlling the risks associated with fires. Compliance with fire-prevention standards and emergency preparedness procedures is audited annually at every operation.

Safety statistics
Tragically, 99 people lost their lives in mine accidents on AngloGold mines during 1998 (1997: 89).

The 1998 injury rates do not reflect any improvement compared with those achieved in previous years. This can partly be explained by the fact that the shafts disposed of in late 1997 and early 1998, were old, shallow and generally safer.

A new strategy for the remaining mines is under development. It has already been agreed at executive level that a core component will be the concept of zero tolerance with regard to critical safety standards and procedures. The operations have embraced this concept and are investigating the best means of communicating this throughout the workforce.

On the positive side, 'millionaire' status (one million fatality-free shifts) was attained during the year at Great Noligwa, Joel, Navachab and Bambanani mines. The Free State metallurgical plants worked five million hours without a lost time injury (a period of over a year) ? a significant achievement by international standards.

The trend in safety statistics since 1992 is shown in the graph, which is based on measures commonly used in international reporting on safety.

Fatality rates and causes of fatalities for 1994 ? 98
Falls of ground continue to present the most significant risk to underground employees. A specialist was engaged at corporate level at the beginning of 1998 to assess rock engineering issues and the design of ground support systems is a priority.

The company is also vigorously pursuing research in the fields of rock mechanics and mine seismicity, through its in-house research company, and by participation in the relevant programmes of the South African Department of Minerals and Energy.

Other areas of concern, such as accidents due to machinery and equipment, will be addressed through the risk assessment systems, and health and safety structures now in place.

International benchmarking
Figures for the performances of other mining countries provide the starting point for benchmarking studies. During 1998, the figures for Ontario, Canada were selected for use as the targets for superior performance in underground metalliferous mining.

Health hazards
This section focuses on the major environmental conditions giving rise to the health hazards to which employees may be exposed. Health risk statistics for Navachab mine are not available for inclusion, as that assessment programme will only commence in 1999.

Note: The anomalous 1995 figure for machinery & equipment arises from the Vaal Reefs No. 2 shaft accident.