A culture of mining safety is imperative

MINING activities can be hazardous as they come with occupational mishaps or accidents that may sometimes be fatal.

Manicaland Province is home to diamond and gold mines in Chiadzwa and Penhalonga respectively, among other areas, and it is imperative that there should be zero-harm policies targeting both the miners and host communities.

This found expression in last Sunday’s incident when 15 artisanal miners were rescued alive and safe at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga after being trapped underground for four days when a block of the mineshaft they were working in had collapsed.

It is heartening that the miners went on to receive medical attention and counselling services.

The successful search and rescue operation was conducted by a team of experts from Government and the private sector.

Following the mishap, President Mnangagwa has since ordered a thorough investigation into the incident to enable Government to draw necessary lessons and adopt appropriate measures to improve safety in the entire mining industry.

Under the US$12 billion mining industry roadmap, Zimbabwe is targeting that by 2030, the mining sector will be generating upwards of US$20 billion per annum.

The drive is expected to significantly contribute towards the attainment of an empowered and prosperous upper-middle income society as envisaged by Vision 2030.

This calls for suitable, responsible and sustainable mining that prevents the occurrence of accidents that may result in injuries and loss of life.

Prioritisation of safety regardless of ownership, nature and scale of the mining activities for both mine workers and artisanal miners, therefore, is imperative.

As such, fatalities are preventable if all mining mishaps are thoroughly investigated through causal analysis in order to be properly managed and avert future similar incidents.

The process involves determining the causes of mishaps through risk assessment that is followed up with effective measures to guard against similar future incidents.

Overall, this leads to significant reduction in accidents and fatalities.

Artisanal and small-scale miners are more susceptible to occupational hazards that compromise their health and safety.

Effective prevention strategies to guard against such risks is therefore key.

Sanitation and hygiene around all mining areas is also equally important. The miners also need the requisite tools or machinery required to carry out smooth operations without engaging in risky activities.

Miners must carefully assess the hazards and risks before throwing caution to the wind as some shafts may be unsafe.

A culture of safety needs to be strictly maintained at all times, including wearing personal protection gear at all times while around the mine.

It also makes business sense for miners to invest back their profits into the mines in order to ensure the safety and security of their workers.

One of the most important steps in accelerating risk mitigation is adopting multi-stakeholder interventions that involve Government, the private sector, the host community and other relevant players.

As a result, this ensures that all mining activities are properly regulated while also adhering to policy issues.

The mining sector is currently on a growth trajectory and Government remains committed to ensuring that the sector is underpinned by safety standards of the highest order.