Modern Quarrying Jan-Feb 2018

SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT POT IGHT ON BRICKMAKING REGULA UPDATE ASPASA

Aspasa – the voice of the industry management system should be the cornerstone of any safety programme.

A s this is the first issue of the year, Modern Quarrying would like to reiterate the importance of joining an association like Aspasa, and to underline the advantages, which include: • Industry member’s support • Information forums and regulatory issues including education facilitation • Lobbying powers • Expertise development and support to members in their business • Improved industry standing • Excellence in ethical conduct • Advice and representation in ethical and legal conduct • Advice and representation in health, safety, labour relations, transport and all other relevant legislation For any surface mining operation, the question of whether or not to join an association is an important one. However, Aspasa is truly representative of the sur- face mining industry. According to Aspasa director Nico Pienaar, while joining a long-standing, reputable association gives you the ben- efit of its name behind yours, “it’s also about the services offered as a member- ship. Once has to ask the question, is your membership worth the fee? “As a surface mining operation, you want to get on with the job; but you also have to keep up with new legislation and regulations,” he says. “You need to ensure that your health and safety practices are top notch and within the legal require- ments, and you need to ensure that you do everything that is required to maintain a financially secure business. The environ- ment, skills development and quality are important issues for any surface mine.” Discussing the benefits further, Pienaar says that as an Aspasa member, you become part of the mainstream industry, which means you can be actively involved in shaping the industry legisla- tion. “Your voice alone may not be heard, but a collective voice is able to influence legislation.” Members are held to a code of con- duct and ethics, good workmanship and

compliance to legislation, all of which gives customers peace of mind. As a member, access is available to the following services: • legal compliance • international and local liaison • government liaison • training and skills development Membership ensures that your voice is heard at local, regional and national level. “No individual business should allow itself to be left out,” Pienaar says. Members also benefit from the pow- erful synergy Aspasa has with strong gov- ernment committees. The Association is an information-gathering and lobbying network, which provides its members with relevant, up-to-the-minute informa- tion and advice enabling them to act on whatever threat or opportunity may arise. Looking at safety, Pienaar says an inclusive approach to tackling safety within the surface mining industry can dramatically improve safety and limit the amount of accidents on mines. “By fostering a caring attitude, training and behaving proactively to avoid danger- ous situations companies can change the culture on their mines to be completely safety orientated. “In addition to legal compliance and the Association’s own safety requirements, we are also encouraging members to be proactive and use information from the industry, as well as their own experience to build programmes that enhance safety.” He lists seven keys towards develop- ing a culture-based safety programme: • Governance: Policies relating to all aspects of mining operation safety need to be designed and imple- mented across the board. These need to be communicated to all stakehold- ers and need to be policed in order to ensure they are adhered to. • Risk management: No programme can be successful unless all the risks on an individual mine have been assessed and procedures put in place to mitigate these risks. A good risk • transport • technical • other

• Compliance: Fortunately, the laws of the country, as well as common-sense common law provides the minimum foundation for any safety programme to be built upon. Compliance to these means that the main risks are covered and that the programme can delve further into creating a safety culture. • Culture intervention: All too often mine culture is based on a ‘macho’ or get-the-job-done at all costs culture. This needs to be changed to adopt a more caring approach with constant reinforcement of safety messages. • Training: One of the best ways to invest in employees is to offer ongo- ing training that includes training on workplace safety. Research reveals that the cost of additional training is outweighed by the benefits and proves that it is better to be safe rather than sorry. • Implementation targets: From top to bottom, an organisation needs to be committed towards implement- ing a robust safety system that they are confident will work for them. An implementation schedule that takes into account the complexity of the operation should be developed and adhered to. • Long-term success: It is important to remember that maintaining a safety culture is a marathon and not a sprint. It involves a shift in thinking and behaviour, which takes time to rein- force. Where failings do occur, it is also important to analyse these and imple- ment new plans to improve safety. A programme such as this should be done in addition to all legal and statutory requirements. As an industry association representing Southern Africa’s quarries, Aspasa has gained the recognition of local and international stakeholders in the surface mining industry and become a world leader in the proactive guidance and management of issues facing this sector of the industry.

www.aspasa.co.za Report by Dale Kelly

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MODERN QUARRYING

Quarter 1 / 2018